Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler [Hardcover]

Margery Cuyler (Author), Sachiko Yoshikawa (Illustrator)

Book Description

Release date: June 26, 2007 | Age Range: 5 and up

When Mrs. Ruler asks five of her kindergarteners to miss recess, she's got a special plan up her sleeve. She's about to teach a new golden rule:

KINDNESS IS COOL!

Soon the entire class is doing so many good deeds that their kindness bulletin board barely fits their classroom!

From clearing the table after dinner, to helping the elderly, one kindergarten class is proving that kids really can make a difference.

Count along with Mrs. Ruler's class. Can all their good deeds really add up to 100 acts of kindness?

Acclaimed picture book author Margery Cuyler will inspire children of all ages to have a heart and save the world!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2—Mrs. Ruler is an unusual teacher: she often talks in rhymes, she wears a ruler in her tall hairdo, and she disciplines children by having them perform acts of kindness. When students ask to participate, she turns her assignment into a class project, and they eventually complete 100 acts of family, school, and community kindness (all listed at book's end). Unfortunately, this story does not measure up to Cuyler's usual high standards, and Mrs. Ruler's singsong speech is annoying. Furthermore, the text often seems preachy. For example, the teacher offers wisdom such as, "A slice of nice makes a mile of smile" and "Good deeds fill needs." The plot is a bit contrived: just when David, a reluctant participant, is looking for good deeds to perform in order to catch up with everyone else, he is presented with an opportunity to rescue the class gerbils. Done in bright hues that reflect the tale's upbeat tone, the cartoon illustrations are playful and inviting. They feature an endearing group of students from different ethnic backgrounds. An additional purchase that may fill a need in some libraries.—Barbara Katz, Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Mrs. Ruler is frustrated with her kindergarten class. They have been acting out all week, so she reminds them "kindness is cooler" and charges each student to perform five acts of kindness. Most of the class catches on quickly; only David seems to have trouble internalizing Mrs. Ruler's maxim that "a slice of nice makes a mile of smile." Eventually, even David finds a way to be good, rescuing the class's gerbils during a harrowing escape. The author of 100th Day Worries (2000) incorporates here the same enthusiasm, counting practice, and humor she used in the earlier title. Especially useful is an appended list of the 100 acts of kindness, which will get kids started and fuel their own ideas. Yoshikawa's vibrant illustrations capture the boundless energies of five-year-olds on their best (and worst) behavior. Although sophisticated listeners may find Mrs. Ruler a bit preachy, most children will enjoy the story, and teachers will find the lesson aptly told. Recommended wherever values education is taught. Weisman, Kay
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689873441
• ISBN-13: 978-0689873447
• Product Dimensions: 11.8 x 10.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,865 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Teach your kids to be kind! August 3, 2007

By Janet M. Zacharias

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book caught my attention because my friend, who has a child with Asberger's, was working on the concept of being kind with him. It features an offbeat teacher named Mrs. Ruler who always speaks in rhyme, and she teaches her elementary students different, specific ways to be kind. A lot of times I think we just tell kids that things are "kind" or "unkind" without really giving them ideas of how to be kind.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Kindness IS cooler! February 25, 2008

By killian

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a Guidance Counselor in an elementary school. I had a teacher come to me and tell me the kids in her class were having trouble with being mean to each other.
I loaned her this book to read to her students. She did and the class used it to kickstart their Kindness campaign.
The teacher has reported favorable results.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very cute book March 6, 2008

By Emily

Format:Hardcover

The kids at my school loved hearing about how the students did 100 kind deeds and they challenged themselves to do 100 kind deeds as a class during the month of February (Kindness Month at our school). Most classes reached their goal and felt so proud, all thanks to Mrs. Ruler.