I received this book from Netgalley/publisher in exchange of an honest review.

I spotted this very colour and gorgeous book on Twitter and was just about to put it on my shelves to read when it was out when I spotted it on Netgalley. You don’t know how fast I tapped that request button, haha. I just HAD TO HAVE IT.

In this book we are looking for all sorts of Kind/Kindness. From saying hello and greeting people in many different ways to making someone laugh to planting trees and making people happy. We follow a girl named Nina who is introducing us to all sorts of Kinds. I just loved how Nina talked to the reader. How she asked us questions, showed us the way and then let us sparkle and be kind. How she encouraged us to pick a fabulous outfit for adventuring and pick something to bring along as a tool for exploration. Like Nina has a backpack filled with a sketchpad, a special necklace, and plenty of fun crayons. And then we went outside and met all sorts of people, met all sorts of kindness. We see sparkles, rainbows and more!

Also yes, Nina, I love making up words for feelings, but also just random. Haha. Not always by choice, sometimes my ADHD just forgets a word and makes up something that fits closely to what it is. XD

Putting this under a spoiler tag as I need to vent I am sorry to say this to you, but if someone bullies you, you don’t need to listen to the bully. F them. I am really tired and sick of this stuff going around in children’s books. I have been bullied many many years of my life and it damaged me to the point that I am still not confident about things, and more, but you tell me I should just have talked/listened to the people who tried to harm me? With words… or scissors? Fire? With other objects? In this book apparently it is even a kindness if you do the talking or listening. So you want to say to me that if I don’t listen to the people who hurt me with words and other things and drive me to wanting to commit suicide that I am not kind? That is how it comes across and this is a message I see more and more on in books for kids. Just fucking please stop. It is very triggering.

While there are of course many things I as an adult can do (making someone laugh, planting a tree, saying sorry and being kind). I am not going to dress too flamboyantly. Or hand out drawings. I am not sure if anyone would appreciate a drawing from an adult. XD But for kids it would be perfect. To go all out.

The art was just wonderful and special and colourful and really, it almost seemed like it would just pop in the real world. An explosion of colour. I love Nina’s design and seeing her sparkle really come true!

All in all, this was a sweet, positive, kind book full of colours and beauty. However, I am deducing a whole point, yes really, for the OMG you should also listen to a bully thing that is really triggering for a person who has been bullied a chunk of her life. Are all children’s books going this way? I may f-ing hope not.