My girls really got a kick out of this story and I enjoyed it as well. We didn't read the first book in the series but will probably grab a copy at some point. Lucy is a great character. We are a Christian family and put a huge emphasis on living in kindness. Any book that is fun to read and relevant in the ways of living correctly are OK by me. Mom approved!! :)

The Kindness Club: Designed by Lucy (The Kindness Club #2) by Courtney Sheinmel is taken from Lucy's side of the story. The first book (The Kindness Club #2) was taken from Chloe's point of view. Lucy is struggling a bit at home; her older brother Ollie is off at college, her grandmother is oddly over scheduled, and her father is either working or distracted when he is home. Her mother died when she was very young, so she doesn't really miss her.

In addition to working at the community center on a quilt with some of the younger children, the club is looking for other projects. When Lucy finds out that a classmate's mother just died, and that Serena and her mother always made a big deal out of birthdays, Lucy starts a project to plan a surprise party at her father's bowling alley for Serena. She does check with Serena's aunt, and asks around to find out who her friends are to invite, but her planning otherwise lacks some focus; for instance, she does not ask her father if she can have the party at the bowling alley! When Lucy realizes that she can't have the party there, she does manage to relocate it, but then hears from Serena herself that it's too soon to be celebrating. Crushed, Lucy talks to her neighbor, Mrs. G., and the two retrieve some of Serena's mother's clothing from the local thrift store and make a quilt for Serena instead. Lucy finds out that her father's business is struggling, but will be okay, with some modifications.

This is a  solid middle grade title for readers who like realistic fiction. 

I received this ARC from NetGalley via Bloomsbury USA Children's Books and Bloomsbury USA Childrens in exchange for an honest review.

Confession: I haven't read the first book in the Kindness Club Series so I came to this sequel with doubts, especially since the cutesy front cover of adorable bug eyed tweens suggests a frothy read. To my surprise, the protagonists tackle serious issues - divorce, parental death, money troubles, the possible onset of dementia for a grandparent, and middle school bullying - with real courage and open minds and hearts. The narrator for this story is Lucy, who is both endearing and irritating while she struggles with her energy, eccentricities, and sincere desire to do good. She is realistically pushy, slightly manic, and occasionally insensitive, but with the help and inspiration of the Kindness Club, learns how to be giving without overwhelming. What I appreciate most about this book is that it has a range of realistically depicted adult characters who are allowed to be human and involved in the children's lives. I also liked the portrayal of minor character, cool "IT" girl Monroe, who while believably nasty to social outcasts, also sees that the Kindness Club can hurt feelings too when it presumes to know what others need. The writing is sometimes stiff, and the characters too often explain their actions, and sermonize to one another, but The Kindness Club: Designed by Lucy is a good read for the elementary school chapter set looking for a little inspiration.