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About The Power of Kindness Kickstarter

The Power of Kindness by Ruth Maille has launched on Kickstarter! Don't miss your chance to support this amazing author and wonderful book that teaches children empathy and generosity. The Kickstarter starts July 13 and will last 30 days.

For the first 48 hours, you can support The Power of Kindness for $25, which includes a hardcover copy of The Power of Kindness! The first 100 people who purchase one of the Kickstarter rewards will receive a custom window cling of Orbit and two of the characters: Dominic and Sawyer, the characters on the cover.

To support The Power of Kindness Kickstarter and see more rewards, click here!

An Interview With The Author: Ruth Maille

What is The Power of Kindness: Through the Eyes of Children about?

The Power of Kindness came about while having a snack with my daycare children one day. We talked about Kindness and where they saw Kindness in their lives.

The story that evolved out of that conversation begins with Orbit, our main character, visiting a kindergarten classroom. He asks the children where they see examples of Kindness in their lives. The book has unique examples:

• Grandma stops by to care for her grandchildren while Mom and Dad go out for date night

• Welcoming a rescue dog into the family

• Saving a worm from drowning after the rain

• Donate things to others because they are blessed to have enough

The examples demonstrate the sweet, loving, unique perspectives my daycare children shared with me.

At the end of the book, Orbit challenges children worldwide to spread Kindness. They can download The Orbit Kindness Challenge app to record their own acts of kindness while earning prizes along the way.

What age range is the Power of Kindness: Through the Eyes of a Child recommended for?

Children ages 4-8 years of age.

What do you hope your readers take away from The Power of Kindness?

I hope that the children who read my book will see that any act of Kindness, big or small, can make a big difference in someone's life. A smile, saying hello, holding the door for another person, sharing a toy can cause a ripple effect. As they practice and embody being kind, it becomes second nature and helps them become even more aware of when they or anyone else is not being kind.

What does Kindness mean to you?

Being kind is a choice we all make every day. It's really easy to snap at someone, especially when our instincts take over, like when we are in a flight, fight, or freeze situation. To be kind takes a conscious choice and the ability to look for the good in the other person.

We may not be able to help everyone with whom we come in contact. We may not understand what they are going through. We may never know their full story and that is OK. What is important is the way we respond to others and how that can make a difference. We need more kindness in the world. Kindness is contagious. The more you offer kindness, the more kindness is spread.

What are some of your favorite ways to show Kindness?

I love to bake. Growing up every Christmas, I would make cookies with my mom and grandmother; then, we would share them with friends and family. A few years back, the month of December was crazy for me, with way too much on my plate. I realized this would be the first year without homemade cookies in a long time. One day my oldest son, Evan, started making batches and batches of cookies. The next thing I knew, my other son, Scott, and my daughter, Kendra, joined in. I couldn't believe it. It filled my heart so much, not just because I could share my love of cookies with people I loved, but that my children knew how much it meant to me and stepped up and made it happen. This is an excellent example of the rippling effect I spoke about earlier.

What is something unique to your book?

The illustrations in my book are unique. I was looking for someone who could bring my characters to life to complement the story through the illustrations. Pardeep Mehre, the owner of Pencil Master Productions, used his imagination and created beautiful illustrations that capture the essence of the story. The illustrations are detailed. One of my favorite illustrations is Dominic, a little boy with spiked hair and glasses. He is saving a wiggle worm from drowning. The look on his face shows how proud he is. The water looks like it's moving downstream. The trees create depth on the page as if you are there.

The color team did an incredible job using an array of vibrant colors and techniques that added dimension to each page. Pardeep's wife, Priyam, was the graphic designer. Her expertise in the placement of the font and colors added to an already beautiful book.

Each example helps to plant the seeds of Kindness. Eventually, children will spread those seeds to more and more people in their lives, and spreading kindness is a good thing. One drop of Kindness is all it takes to fill a heart with love.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

I am not sure when I first realized that I wanted to write children's books. One thing I know for sure is that as a pre-school teacher for over 30 years, I have read my fair share of children's books. My passion for writing books stems from reading so many books and helping children develop a love for reading.

What do you think makes a good story?

I think you need several things to make a good story. A children's picture book is a very unique type of book. The best ones are a perfect combination of words and pictures, each element supporting, furthering, or deepening the story.

A book needs to be engaging and captivating, with a unique story. The text and illustrations should work together to tell the story. Many times words can be eliminated because an illustrator can capture that in his art. This is why it is important to choose the right illustrator to help bring the story to life.

Strong characters that evoke emotions in children are essential to a story. If children can relate and connect with a character, the story has more meaning to them. The characters help get the message across in the story, leaving a lasting impression on the child's life, inspiring them, motivating them, and building the love of reading.

One of the greatest compliments an author can get is when a child wants to read and reread your story repeatedly. Picture books are meant to be read aloud to a child and should have the staying power to get that child to ask to hear it again.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

I love to travel. I enjoy exploring new places and learning about the world we live in. I have been blessed to see a lot of the world since I was a tour guide for a major tour operator in my early 20's. Over the years, I have used my knowledge and experience and created tours for my daughter's girl scout troop and other troops. My children enjoy traveling, too, so we have quite the bucket list to get to now that the pandemic is hopefully winding down.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a mom and a teacher. Luckily I became both.

I have three children, now adults, of whom I am so very proud. They are my cheerleading squad, my support, and my best friends. We love to travel together and spend a lot of time enjoying each other's company.

In my licensed family daycare, I have been blessed to nurture, love, and educate hundreds of children. I have a pre-school program that runs the school year. We not only learn about academics, but we also learn about social and emotional skills, which are so crucial to the development of a child.

I have the best of both worlds.