What If We Were All Kind!: A Children's Rhyming Book About Empathy and Kindness (Paperback)
by C.M. Harris
A soft presented story that shows how the world would be better if we had empathy and kindness. The pictures are multicultural diverse showing how kindness can make the world better.

I love everything about this book and recommend it. The story is fantastic and it even has a bonus activity. It makes it perfect for the classroom. It also would be great for church or school counselors. If you want a story to discuss kindness this is a perfect choice. It is a book even for the youngest in your family or school. It is never too young to hear a message of being kind or polite to others. We have different personalities and sometimes we have disagreements. Finding ways to be kind and respectful to one another is important.

I didn't find the narrative to have a. nice flow. It was a bit choppy.
Great pictures and inclusive illustrations though!
Great theme!

This cute rhyming picture book with colorful pictures is the perfect way to remind kids to be kind. It also has several discussion questions in the afterward.

As a mom of a 2 year old, this book so perfectly written for little ears to learn how to be kind to those around them. I loved the wording and diverse representation in the illustrations. The message is perfect for kids young and old!

A Beautiful Book to Teach Kindness!

What If We Were All Kind! by C.M. Harris is a gem for young readers. The book uses simple language and thoughtful "what if" questions to help children understand how kindness can impact the world around them. The illustrations are colorful and engaging, perfect for keeping little ones interested and the message is easy for toddlers and preschoolers to grasp. I especially loved how it opens the door to important conversations about how we treat others.
As a parent, I’m always looking for books that combine a strong message with fun visuals, and this one hits the mark. It’s a lovely read that encourages empathy, inclusion, and compassion in a gentle way. Highly recommend this book for families, teachers, or anyone looking to build emotional awareness in young kids.

Such a sweet and thoughtful book to help cultivate kindness. I loved the discussion questions at the end for continued conversations.

The illustrations are so beautiful, bright and cheerful. I also loved that the scenarios in the book took place in so many different places. Kindness doesn't need to happen just at school or at home, but everywhere.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars (Outstanding)
Setting: Real World Situations
Genre: Children’s Fiction

What If We Were All Kind by C.M. Harris is a true treasure. It’s more than just a sweet rhyming book—it’s a powerful tool for teaching children the importance of empathy, compassion, and the impact of even the smallest acts of kindness.

What makes this book stand out is how it beautifully weaves in cultural, religious, physical, and ethnic diversity through its vibrant illustrations. Every page reflects the rich variety of the world we live in, showing children that kindness isn’t just for people who look or live like them—it’s for everyone. Representation matters, and this book gets it exactly right.

From offering a helping hand to being a good friend, the story presents real-life scenarios that young readers can relate to, understand, and apply in their own lives. The bonus discussion questions at the end are a wonderful way to keep the conversation going, whether in the classroom or at bedtime.

As a parent and teacher, I’m always looking for books that are both meaningful and engaging, and What If We Were All Kind checks every box. It’s heartwarming, inclusive, and inspiring—a story that encourages children to be thoughtful, generous, and proud of who they are while recognizing and respecting the differences in others.

This book belongs in every home, classroom, and library. It’s not just a story—it’s a message the world needs right now. 💛
#netgalley #whatifwewereallkind #booked_this_weekend

This is the book that everyone - children and adults - need right now! What If We Were All Kind! by C.M. Harris, and illustrated by Vitor Lopes, is beautiful cover to cover.
Harris presents what the world would be like if everyone were kind to each other, regardless of race, religion, or abilities. Yet none of these differences are overtly mentioned; instead she depends on the colourful and sweet illustrations to show children and adults across numerous backgrounds being kind, and as a result, happy. When strife is mentioned, it is followed by how much better kindness is. "Kindness knows no borders", sharing, charity, and patience are things to strive for within these pages, presented with a lyrical prose and brilliant illustrations. Even animals make an appearance as recipients and givers of kindness.
Adults would do well to read this, as many seem to have forgotten.
This book should not only be on personal bookshelves, to be read by families together, but in school and public libraries as well, to make sure the word gets out
I'm happy to have received an ARC of #WhatIfWeWereAllKind from #NetGalley, and highly recommend this book to families everywhere.

I am always looking for books about kindness to share with my kids (5 and 3).

I really liked the short paragraphs and the rhyming, because I think that it will really keep the kids attention while also making it something to remember.

The illustrations were beautiful and vivid which really accentuated the story. But, the thing that I love the most, is the inclusion of discussion questions at the end. As busy parents,it is not always easy to track down resources for having informed discussions about things like kindness. So having the discussion questions really helps bring the book full circle. Definitely want to add to my parenting toolbox.

What a cute wonderful book to teach young readers to be kind. And very diversity from skins to abilities of each character. The art is very cute and colorful as well. I love every single piece of this book!

I just read this one to my kids at bedtime and it was the perfect bedtime read. Pleasant and thought provoking but overall just leaves the readers feeling peaceful and hopeful. Parent and kid approved :)

What a wonderful message, written in such a beautiful way alongside great illustrations.

The rhyming and cadence was done very well, it was easy to read and digest what was being said. I love the pictures, they are so colorful but also diverse and inclusive.

This is a great book for kids to read to learn the different ways they can be kind to each other and others in general.

I feel very hopeful for the next generation if they grow up reading this book and others like it.

What If We Were All Kind by C.M. Harris
Ebook copy 5⭐️!!
This childrens book is soooo cute!! I adored every page. It’s about kindness. Teaching children early that kindness is so important and all the ways kindness can be shared and practiced. This book would definitely be one that caught my eye as a kid. Not just for the positive message (which I feel is vital for growth) but for the illustrations as well!! It was bright and colorful and perfectly executed. I love that the author included diversity of characters and that kindness isn’t just for the people you love and care for, but also to be kind to everyone you meet, especially strangers and don’t forget yourself!! 🤗
Thank you to NetGalley for this Ebook and the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Purple Diamond Press Inc. for the digital copy of What If We Were All Kind!.

This is a beautifully illustrated and joyfully written book that delivers a powerful message in a way that’s accessible and engaging for young readers. The rhyming text flows well and keeps kids interested, while the colorful artwork adds charm and warmth to every page.

I especially loved how this book highlights the many ways kindness can show up in everyday life—at school, at home, and in our communities. It’s a wonderful tool for sparking conversations about empathy, compassion, and the impact of small, thoughtful actions.

A lovely addition to any classroom or home library, What If We Were All Kind! encourages kids to lead with kindness and truly helps make the world a little brighter.

This cheery story has simple illustrations that encourage everyone to be kind to others regardless of lifestyle, manner of clothing, assistive devices, injury. We can show this in words plus giving, and sharing, to animals as well as people.
Not only for children, this is a perfect book for sitting together and sharing the magic of the words and meaningful illustrations.
The illustrations by Vitor Lopes (Illustrator), are imaginative, softly colorful, and meaningful.
Well suited for reading alone or WITH someone of any age, including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school, waiting room, or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected e-Galley on NetGalley Reader from Purple Diamond Press Inc | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles via NetGalley.
#WhatIfWeWereAllKind by @cmharrisbooks and illustrated by Vito Lopes @purplediamondpress @childrensbookcouncil @goodreads @bookbub @the.storygraph #kidsbook #picturebookart #picturebooks #kidlit #picturebook #childrensbooks #librarybooks @canadianindieauthors #WhatIfWeWereKind #SpreadKindness #bekind #spreadkindness #bookstagram

4.5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Thanks to Netgalley and Purple Diamond Press Inc for this eARC. I confirm all thoughts are honest and my own.

Firstly, I really wanted to read this as I am now a mother and think it’s deeply important to not only read to your children if you can, but read books that not only spark imagination, but also seed important positive core beliefs.

I was drawn to this book as it especially revolves around kindness and as my son is a toddler now - which are somewhat challenging times (if you know you know) - I wanted to see if this book was something I felt would be a good book to introduce to him. I can honestly say YES!

This book was lovely. It had a great message of what kindness is, how we can be kind to others and the impact kindness can have on us and the world around us. I loved the diversity in the book, showing children/people of many different cultures and abilities, especially the inclusivity of those who have disabilities 🫶🏻

I did however notice an adult heterosexual couple holding hands in the background of one of the illustrated pages, so seeing that this book was about kindness, diversity and inclusion - it would have been nice to have also had a same sex couple illustrated somewhere - though I am aware this isn’t quite so easy to do anymore in America with lots of books being muted and banned for such things. It was just something I was mindful of, as I think kindness should be shown to everyone and positive representation is equally as important for those in the LGBTQIA+ communities.

The only reason I did not give this full marks was the mention of there being no more anger in the world. I was brought up to think anger was a negative emotion but having gone through therapy as an adult, I’ve learned the importance of expressing ALL emotions. Anger has its place and it’s our jobs as parents to accept it and teach our children that it is ok to get angry, and instead of shaming children for it, we teach them how to express it in a safe way. Suppressing emotions can be detrimental so that was my only criticism of this book.

I did love it though, and will be looking into the rest of the series and will show my son this book too. I also loved how all the children when playing, were actually playing with physical games and had a strong emphasis of being outside. There were no screens which I think was great.

Another lovely touch at the end were the questions for discussion, where parents can have an open dialogue with their children about particular points or thoughts brought up within the book. This is such a good way to get children thinking further and helps plant those ever important seeds into their hearts & heads.

Favourite quote “Kindness knows no borders”

What If We Were All Kind! written by C. M. Harris, is a beautifully written book perfect for young readers! This book explores what the world might look like if everyone were kind. It reminds children of ways that we can be patient, loving, inclusive, and kind, and gives examples of ways we can best interact with our family and friends. I really enjoyed the simple words, beautiful illustrations, and real life examples shown in this book, and can see it being a wonderful book to share during kindness or empathy week.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the author, illustrator, and publisher of this book for am ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What if we were all kind is a rhyming picture book about the different ways in which we can show kindness towards each other. I read with 4 year olds and we they enjoyed the rhyme and the pictures.
The discussion questions at the end were really good. Some of them were for a level of maturity higher than age 4 but we gave them a good shot and it helped the children engage with the book.
I particularly enjoyed the diversity represented in the illustrations and we talked a lot about wheelchairs and walking frames.
It's a great book for preschool through to primary with potential for lots of discussion around the way we behave towards others in a diverse society.

This was super adorable and a great way to talk about being kind! My 2.5 yo really liked it, and we spent a decent amount of time on the page about being kind to siblings haha. The illustrations were vibrant and interesting for the younger kids- the is most ideal for ages 2-4 I’d say! Very cute though and definitely worth adding to your shelf!