A Good Deed Can Grow

Positivity pulses through the pages of this picture book about the effects of kind and thoughtful actions and the many ways one might spread good in the world. Noting how a kindness gradually emanates from its source, Chambliss Bertman’s simile-laden text likens a good deed to a seed, a ripple on the water, a sunbeam, and a smile: “A good deed/ can grow like a smile.// A smile that calms worries and nerves,/ warms hearts... //or welcomes you home.” Hatam’s bustling mixed-media scenes display an intersectionally diverse community in which a brigade of grinning young people do nice things: visiting a sick friend, reading at the senior center, cleaning up litter, and planting a community garden next to a gigantic gray factory belching waste. While the lines acknowledge that some problems can feel too big to solve, this read offers a sunny emotional reset to inspire do-gooders. Ages 4–8. (Feb.)