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The Power of One

Every Act of Kindness Counts

Illustrated by Mike Curato
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
9.44"W x 9.31"H x 0.38"D   | 14 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Aug 25, 2020 | 40 Pages | 978-1-5247-7158-4
Age 4-8 years | Preschool - 3
Reading Level: Lexile AD480L | Fountas & Pinnell J
One small act of kindness can change the world. From esteemed bullying expert and author of The Invisible Boy, Trudy Ludwig and Little Elliot illustrator Mike Curato comes a tale as simple--and simply inspiring--as the golden rule.

When one child reaches out in friendship to a classmate who seems lonely, she begins a chain reaction of kindness that ripples throughout her school and her community. One kind act begets another, small good deeds make way for bigger ones, and eventually the whole neighborhood comes together to build something much greater than the sum of its parts.

From acclaimed bullying expert Trudy Ludwig, The Power of One not only conveys a message of kindness, it offers concrete steps that kids can take to make a difference in their own communities.

As Trudy says in the final line of the book: "Acts and words of kindness DO count, and it all starts with ONE."
  • SELECTION | 2021
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
"One small act of kindness can make a lasting impact. So can one powerful book. THE POWER OF ONE by Trudy Ludwig and Mike Curato is that book." —Pat Zietlow Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Be Kind

"Thought-provoking, uplifting, and actionable, The Power of One will inspire young readers to plant the seeds of kindness in their own classrooms and communities." —Alexandra Penfold, New York Times bestselling author of All Are Welcome

“Words and pictures work together to show how, one by one, we can make a difference. . . . A straightforward message that even small acts of kindness can have a big impact.” —Kirkus Reviews

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker, presenting at schools and conferences both in the US and overseas, educating students, parents, and teachers on relational aggression.

Her books have received numerous awards and citations including Victoria Soto Legacy Award, IBPA Gold Benjamin Franklin Award, Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, NAPPA Gold Medal Award, Mom’s Choice Gold Awards, Moonbeam Children’s Books Gold Award, Comstock Read Aloud Honors and are included in the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best of the Year Selection, NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection, National Crime Prevention Council’s Circle of Respect Book Club Selection, Junior Library Guild Selection, School Library Journal’s Best Picture Books Selection, Scholastic Instructor Recommended Back-to-School Picks, and more.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with leading experts and organizations including Committee for Children, ConnectSafely.org, Sesame Workshop, and Passport to Peace Foundation.

Trudy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and their loyal hound dog, Hannah. Visit her on the web at trudyludwig.com or follow her on Twitter @TrudyLudwig.

View titles by Trudy Ludwig
Educator Guide for The Power of One

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

About

One small act of kindness can change the world. From esteemed bullying expert and author of The Invisible Boy, Trudy Ludwig and Little Elliot illustrator Mike Curato comes a tale as simple--and simply inspiring--as the golden rule.

When one child reaches out in friendship to a classmate who seems lonely, she begins a chain reaction of kindness that ripples throughout her school and her community. One kind act begets another, small good deeds make way for bigger ones, and eventually the whole neighborhood comes together to build something much greater than the sum of its parts.

From acclaimed bullying expert Trudy Ludwig, The Power of One not only conveys a message of kindness, it offers concrete steps that kids can take to make a difference in their own communities.

As Trudy says in the final line of the book: "Acts and words of kindness DO count, and it all starts with ONE."

Awards

  • SELECTION | 2021
    Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

Praise

"One small act of kindness can make a lasting impact. So can one powerful book. THE POWER OF ONE by Trudy Ludwig and Mike Curato is that book." —Pat Zietlow Miller, New York Times bestselling author of Be Kind

"Thought-provoking, uplifting, and actionable, The Power of One will inspire young readers to plant the seeds of kindness in their own classrooms and communities." —Alexandra Penfold, New York Times bestselling author of All Are Welcome

“Words and pictures work together to show how, one by one, we can make a difference. . . . A straightforward message that even small acts of kindness can have a big impact.” —Kirkus Reviews

Author

Trudy Ludwig is a nationally acclaimed speaker and an award-winning author who specializes in writing children's books that help kids connect and engage with their peers in kind, caring ways. She has received rave reviews from educators, experts, organizations, and parents for her passion and compassion in addressing friendship, bullying, and cyberbullying issues. Trudy wrote her first book, My Secret Bully, after her own daughter was bullied by some friends. Since then, she has become a sought-after speaker, presenting at schools and conferences both in the US and overseas, educating students, parents, and teachers on relational aggression.

Her books have received numerous awards and citations including Victoria Soto Legacy Award, IBPA Gold Benjamin Franklin Award, Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, NAPPA Gold Medal Award, Mom’s Choice Gold Awards, Moonbeam Children’s Books Gold Award, Comstock Read Aloud Honors and are included in the Cooperative Children’s Book Center’s Best of the Year Selection, NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Books for Young People Selection, National Crime Prevention Council’s Circle of Respect Book Club Selection, Junior Library Guild Selection, School Library Journal’s Best Picture Books Selection, Scholastic Instructor Recommended Back-to-School Picks, and more.

An active member of the International Bullying Prevention Association, Trudy also collaborates with leading experts and organizations including Committee for Children, ConnectSafely.org, Sesame Workshop, and Passport to Peace Foundation.

Trudy lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two children, and their loyal hound dog, Hannah. Visit her on the web at trudyludwig.com or follow her on Twitter @TrudyLudwig.

View titles by Trudy Ludwig

Additional Materials

Educator Guide for The Power of One

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Brave Every Day

From social-emotional learning expert Trudy Ludwig and award-winning picture book illustrator Patrice Barton (co-creators of The Invisible Boy) comes a story about managing anxiety and finding the courage to stand up for yourself and others. Most kids love hide-and-seek, but Camila just wants to hide. Hiding is what she does best when she worries, and she

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