Today we are sharing a book by P.K. Hallinan called Heartprints. It was originally published in 2002 but is being released again on December 8th. I received two versions of the book for this review: a board book and a bilingual paperback book.
This book describes a heartprint as the impression left behind by a deliberate act of kindness. Personally I think a deliberate act of kindness leaves behind two heartprints, the doer and the receiver. The book describes acts of kindness anyone can do like a smile, a hug, helping a friend, etc. The acts can be simple and things you do every day. It is a wonderful way to teach children about being kind and how behavior can change the mood for people.
Yesterday I attended the Veteran's Day Assembly at Hazel's school. My friend initiated a collection for Operation Troop Support and had invited the founders to the assembly to get the collection. The school managed to collect four large moving boxes full of supplies to send the troops as well as over $100 to help with the shipping expenses as well as a letter (or picture) from each child at the school. The founder, Dick Moody, shared some stories about the response to the organizations packages sent to the troops. They also collect letters to send over. They have military members who distribute the letters to soldiers who do not receive mail from home (and distribute the other care package items as needed). Dick Moody received a letter from a service member after getting a letter that was written by a middle school student. The service member was an only child and both of his parents had died, so he had no one at home and never received mail or care packages. He was very lonely and the fighting was really beginning to get to him so he was thinking about whether he wanted to live or not. That very day that he considered killing himself the mail call had the letter for him. That letter changed his entire attitude because he felt like someone cared about him and the work he was doing. It saved his life. This to me is a major heartprint and goes so well with this story. It shows how a simple act of kindness by a child can really affect the world.
To go with this book, we made heartprint cards. We used a heart stamp, red ink, business cards and then since our stamp had a design in the heart we colored it in with gel pens.
Hazel saw me making one and wanted to make one as well. Here is hers. She wrote her version of heartprints on it.
We gave the board book to friends younger than Hazel and she also included her heartprint card with the gift. They loved it. I think the cards itself could be that nice act of kindness to leave a heartprint. What do you think?
