Feeding Friends

Gr 2-4–Ari, a nine-year-old member of the Secret Kindness Society, embarks on a journey of community service with his friends, guided by the rules to spread joy, have fun, be creative, and stay secret. While the reason for their secrecy isn’t clear, their mission leads them to collaborate with a classmate to donate food to a local pantry. The group meets in the “Peace and Love” room of the library to brainstorm and, with the help of a teacher, start a school garden the group names “Feeding Friends,” which provides fresh produce to those in need. This project culminates in a garden kickoff party and a food drive. Ari’s mixed-race background (Black and Indian) is explicitly highlighted, and the book includes diverse characters in terms of race, culture, family structure, and abilities. The preamble introduces readers to Ari and the Secret Kindness Society’s rules, while the back matter offers real-life examples of kindness projects and discussion prompts like “Think About It” and “Kindness and You.” School librarian Stewart’s book is an accessible bridge between early readers and chapter books. The illustrations, while full-color and featured on each spread, depict children with somewhat adultlike, square bodies and limbs, lacking variety in body types.