World Kindness Day 2026

     In honor of World Kindness Day, there is a quote that I would like to share with all of you from the very person who I believe has always been the most exemplary patron of kindness, Mister Fred Rogers.

"There are three ways to the ultimate success. The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind."

     I have considered it a privilege to have been able to visit a stunningly beautiful bronze sculpture created by renowned artist Paul Day titled "A Beautiful Day" located on the grounds of Fred Rogers' alma mater Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida.  I'd like to share a few of the photos taken last October with you all, and hope that you all will be able to visit this someday.  On this day, may we all take a moment to reflect on a life that was devoted to making the world a better place for all children, and to the enduring legacy of kindness that he left behind. 

In Honor of Picture Book Month- The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

     Founded by author and storyteller Dianne de Las Casas and fellow children's book authors and illustrators, Katie Davis, Elizabeth Dulemba, Tara Lazar and Wendy Martin, Picture Book Month is an annual event held every November as an international literacy initiative that celebrates this well-loved genre.  And, who doesn't love picture books--- filled with imaginative, vivid illustrations, their simple stories have long served as the entry way for young children's minds and imaginations to grow through the power of reading.

    One of the most prolific children's picture book writers and illustrators of our time, Ezra Jack Keats received the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1963 for what is now considered to be one of the most important stories of the 20th Century, The Snowy Day. Known for paving the way for multi-culturally diverse settings to be featured in children's literature, Keats was also one of the early pioneers to use collage in his illustrations.  To say that the urban setting found throughout The Snowy Day brings a sense of comfort to my heart would be an huge understatement.

      As a child born during the early 1970s, a good deal of my early childhood was spent at my grandparents' home, located on Adee Avenue in the Williamsbridge section of The Bronx, New York.

My grandparents' home (the middle building) circa 1976.

     Their three-story red brick home was located across the street from the Parkside housing project, and within walking distance to the Rosewood playground (one of my favorite places to go to besides Hoft's Ice Cream Shop down on Burke Avenue).
     I can remember marveling, just as Peter did in Keats' story, at how practically overnight, everything outside of our respective homes looked so different.  So breathtaking was the power of snow, as it could bring a sense of quiet in a place where silence was an absolute rarity and at times, could sadly be, an ominous sound.  And, like Peter, I took simple pleasure during those cold winter days (when, awake and raring to go boots first into the frozen tundra only feet away, I warmed my tiny hands on the white radiator beneath the windows of my mother's old bedroom), playing in the tremendous snow mountains right outside our front doorsteps created by the New York City Department of Sanitation trucks.  The shared joy that Peter and I felt knowing that once our day's adventures in the snow were finished, we would wake the next morning to discover that we would be able to make more snow angels, build another small snowman on the front porch, and try, unsuccessfully once again, to bring the snowman into the house so he could meet my dog. It never turned out well for the snowman, sadly, as the dog licked the melted pieces of snow right up!
     The Snowy Day is a timeless classic that endures to this day, and whenever I long to remember those lovely memories that the magic of those first snowfalls brought of my youth, I'm so grateful to be able to reach for this tranquil, heartwarming tale in my bookshelves, and I'm instantly transported back to those gentle times.

The Snowy Day
Written and Illustrated by Ezra Jack Keats
Publisher:  Penguin Random House
ISBN: 9780670012701
For ages 5 thru 8
Retails for $8.99 (Paperback)

    

Revisiting a Classic Story From my Childhood- Dandelion by Don Freeman

      Often, during the course of our childhood, there is one (or hopefully, more than one) story that always stands out among all of the others.  A book that will always put an instant smile on your face simply by just hearing its title.  For me, Dandelion, written and illustrated by the late Don Freeman, (the winner of the Caldecott Medal, Freeman also wrote the 1968 classic, Corduroy) occupies that special place in my heart. Dandelion was one of those books that when given the opportunity to visit my local library when I was small (which was, quite literally almost every other day as I lived within a 5-minute walking distance from it), that I always looked for first among the many bookshelves. It is, at least in my humble opinion, an overlooked classic that touches on the strength and uniqueness that one will always discover when you realize that you should always remain true to yourself.

     As our tale begins, Dandelion wakes one morning, and goes outside to his mailbox to collect his mail, when he spots an envelope with his name addressed on the front with very fancy lettering.  Inside the envelope, he discovers an invitation that states:
     "Dear Dandelion,
          You are invited to my tea-and-taffy party on Saturday afternoon at half-past three.  Come as you are.
       Sincerely,
        Jennifer Giraffe " (needless to say, at the tender age of six, I was thrilled to see my name in a book, even if my name belonged to a giraffe!)

     An excited Dandelion quickly realizes that today is Saturday, and the party is only hours away!  So, in order to look presentable for the party, he quickly rushes into town and decides that his mane needs a trim, only to end up receiving the latest "in" style of lions.... complete with a perm!  And he turns in his simple white sweater for a fancy top hat and coat complete with a cane purchased from none other than "Happy Crane" himself!  A gussied-up Dandelion arrives at Jennifer Giraffe's doorstep, but is only left out in the cold when Miss. Giraffe doesn't recognize her old friend, and fails to let him in.  Shut off from the party, a sad, lonely Dandelion gets caught up in a loud afternoon thunderstorm.  His fancy perm gets wilted; his coat gets soaked, and his snappy hat gets carried off in the wind.  But Dandelion decides to pull himself together, and when he arrives at Miss. Giraffe's doorstep once again, only this time looking just like Dandelion (except a little more soaked), he is warmly welcomed by all.

     The underlying message of being proud of who you are is so very important to relay to our children. No matter what kind of sweater you wear or what kind of haircut that you have, just like Dandelion, your true friends will care about and accept you for who you are.

    

Dandelion
Written and Illustrated by Don Freeman
Publisher: Penguin Books
ISBN: 9780140502183
For ages 4 thru 7
Retails for $7.32 (Softcover)