Full Text Review(s)
"In this, the fourth book about Minna and her friends and family, the young rabbit and her classmates learn about kindness. The story begins with Mrs. Bloom reading Aesop’s "The Lion and the Mouse" to her students. After discussing it, she instructs them to perform an act of kindness, draw a picture of it, and then share the details about it with the class. Minna performs many acts of kindness and cannot decide which one to use for her project. In a burst of creative genius, she decides to create a quilt featuring a number of them. Her classmates love the idea and continue to piece together a classroom patchwork. The enthusiasm then spreads to the whole school. As the project grows, so does the quilt, taking over a bulletin board and moving onto a hallway wall. The cut-paper collage illustrations are sure to keep young children’s interest, especially as youngsters try to discern all of the many projects featured in the squares. Wallace’s illustrations include origami, recycled paper, markers, crayons, and colored pencils. Teachers will want to share this title with everyone in their school community.— Maren Ostergard, Bellevue Regional Library, WA"

"Mrs. Bloom reads to her class of young rabbits the Aesop’s fable about the mouse who removes a thorn from a lion’s paw. Minna immediately understands that the moral is about kindness; other kids also weigh in. Mrs. Bloom is pleased because she is assigning a "Kindness Project," in which her students will do something kind and make a picture of it. Minna performs many small kindnesses, but she doesn’t know which one she should illustrate. Finally, she makes a small quilt of pictures, which prompts her classmates to make their own quilts—which are joined to make one large kindness quilt. Then, other classes join in, and the quilt grows to take up the big bulletin board in the hall. Wallace’s familiar illustrations, created in found paper, markers, colored pencils, and crayons, have a simple three-dimensional charm that always appeals. But here, it’s the idea behind the story that will attract attention. Parents and teachers will find myriad uses for this book, with its gentle message and practical approach to making a better world.— Ilene Cooper"