Review by New York Times Review
WITH lessons in good behavior all but forgotten in many homes, must teachers now be supernannies? In Margery Cuyler's latest book, "Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler," a teacher insists that her kindergartners measure up. Her approach to behavioral crisis in one elementary classroom inspires a degree of hope, and a few questions. Mrs. Ruler's roster is quintessentially American, a multicultural collection of hyperactive children. The cold and rain has made them "jumpy and grumpy," and it's tit-for-tat bedlam. Young Connor's confession - "We were acting up" - elicits a patient response from our pedagogue: "What is a cooler way to act?" "Kindness is cooler, Mrs. Ruler." Right on, Raquelita. Cuyler has coined a catchy refrain and opts for lingo that is casual and hip. But the comedy of classroom chaos is most entertainingly rendered by the illustrator, Sachiko Yoshikawa With razzmatazz color, humor and energy, she rescues readers from a text that grows somewhat cumbersome. Mrs. Ruler, eccentric with her round red spectacles and ruler-speared bun, is also linguistically dotty. She speaks in rhyme: "A slice of nice makes a mile of smile!" Her bad kids are given the task of performing "five acts of kindness for your families," and reporting back for show-and-tell. As it turns out, they're gung-ho: "? set the table,'" says Anaya the next day. "'I grated the cheese for the macaroni,'" says her twin Tawana. (Since when do dinner chores constitute acts of kindness?) Their inspired classmates go home and kindly vacuum, share the computer, water the plants and so forth. Ultimately, math skills are incorporated - the goal is 100 kind acts - and the lesson in values becomes a race to score points. Yoshikawa's everyday scenes of courtesy and responsibility look heavenly: fluffy white clouds frame the vignettes and float across fields of heart-strewn pink. The kids' spherical faces resemble cartoon confections, and the cutout hearts, marking their achievements, look good enough to lick. So is "Kindness Is Cooler" the help we're looking for? Cuyler is to be applauded for addressing the alarming deficit of civility in our culture, but there's something a bit saccharine about Mrs. Ruler's moral hyperbole: "All it takes is one simple act - one act of kindness that will make the world a better place." More important, when even the smallest domestic routines become homework and a simple chore becomes an act of kindness, something is amiss at home. But lessons in good conduct are essential, and ultimately Cuyler's classroom experiment just might help parents keep courtesy from going the way of the glaciers. A more charming and less complicated perspective on classroom decorum is on show in Nancy Wolff's "It's Time for School With Tallulah." This is Tallulah the cat's second appearance, and "kindness" isn't an issue here. Tallulah's menagerie of students, friends with floppy ears, snouts, scales and tails (the cast of "Tallulah in the Kitchen") is fully tamed. Youngsters will be drawn in as this smartly attired cat (she likes stripes) walks us through routines like taking attendance, singing, painting and updating the weather chart. Nigel the penguin is the newcomer in this personality-rich narrative. Shy and nervous, he won't take off his purple scarf, but gradually loosens up in the warmth of Wolff's collaged classroom. Patterns abound here: plaids, stripes and checks in joyfully vibrant colors. Scraps from newspapers and books tease the eye and add a pleasing texture to the dynamic pages. Complementing the visual composition are witty allusions and incidental humor. Roxy the pig pages through a book titled "Building Your Dream House," written by three noted members of her species. Tallulah's cat-centric vision leads to storytime reading of "'101 Cat Tales' by Feline A. Bitfrisky" and a chalkboard list of "interesting words: SCAT, CATch, vaCATion." This book should help make nervous Nellies and Nigels a little less anxious about that very first day of school. Robert Neubecker's "Wow! School!" gives the beginning student an even more kinetic experience. This is his newest in a series of "Wow!" books, and its large pages are abuzz with classroom creativity. Redheaded Izzy greets her teacher, makes art and marches to the alphabet song in a picture-narrative chronicling her day. Each new lesson is announced in bold handwritten letters - "Wow! Art!"; "Wow! Books!"; "Wow! Science!" Details like dangling planets, a dozen dazed white rabbits and a poster of a terribly toothy shark give the super-bright classroom special allure. At day's end, Izzy heads home hand in hand with a new pal. All three of these books promote the values of learning, cooperation and friendship. And in each one a teacher reins in a rambunctious herd with confidence and good cheer. Sara London is the author of "Firehorse Max" and "The Good Luck Glasses." She teaches literature and creative writing at Smith College.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [October 27, 2009]
Review by Booklist Review
Mrs. Ruler is frustrated with her kindergarten class. They have been acting out all week, so she reminds them 'kindness is cooler" and charges each student to perform five acts of kindness. Most of the class catches on quickly; only David seems to have trouble internalizing Mrs. Ruler's maxim that 'a slice of nice makes a mile of smile." Eventually, even David finds a way to be good, rescuing the class's gerbils during a harrowing escape. The author of 100th Day Worries (2000) incorporates here the same enthusiasm, counting practice, and humor she used in the earlier title. Especially useful is an appended list of the 100 acts of kindness, which will get kids started and fuel their own ideas. Yoshikawa's vibrant illustrations capture the boundless energies of five-year-olds on their best (and worst) behavior. Although sophisticated listeners may find Mrs. Ruler a bit preachy, most children will enjoy the story, and teachers will find the lesson aptly told. Recommended wherever values education is taught.--Weisman, Kay Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In Kindness Is Cooler, Mrs. Ruler by Margery Cuyler, illus. by Sachiko Yoshikawa, the eponymous teacher convinces her rowdy class to spend their time being kind to their families, friends and neighbors, telling them that "a slice of nice makes a mile of smile." A list of "100 Acts of Kindness" tops off this warm and sincere tale. (S&S, $16.99 50p ages 5-up ISBN 9780-689-87344-7; June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-Mrs. Ruler is an unusual teacher: she often talks in rhymes, she wears a ruler in her tall hairdo, and she disciplines children by having them perform acts of kindness. When students ask to participate, she turns her assignment into a class project, and they eventually complete 100 acts of family, school, and community kindness (all listed at book's end). Unfortunately, this story does not measure up to Cuyler's usual high standards, and Mrs. Ruler's singsong speech is annoying. Furthermore, the text often seems preachy. For example, the teacher offers wisdom such as, "A slice of nice makes a mile of smile" and "Good deeds fill needs." The plot is a bit contrived: just when David, a reluctant participant, is looking for good deeds to perform in order to catch up with everyone else, he is presented with an opportunity to rescue the class gerbils. Done in bright hues that reflect the tale's upbeat tone, the cartoon illustrations are playful and inviting. They feature an endearing group of students from different ethnic backgrounds. An additional purchase that may fill a need in some libraries.-Barbara Katz, Parish Episcopal School, Dallas, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Mrs. Ruler encourages her wayward students to perform acts of kindness. ""Good deeds fill needs!"" she chirps, sending the children off on their pro-social quests. Before long, even ""What-if-I-don't-feel-like-being-kind?"" David is making ""the world a better place."" The book's heavy-handedness isn't concealed beneath Mrs. Ruler's cutesy rhymes. The bright acrylic illustrations display lots of energy, just like the do-gooder kids. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Kindness is cool, but it's unclear whether this purposive effort will really encourage young listeners to commit good deeds. Like all children, the kindergartners in Mrs. Ruler's class occasionally misbehave. When five of them transgress on a single day, she holds them back from recess and asks them to consider changing their behavior. With one exception, they comply and find that being kind is so rewarding that soon the whole class pitches in. The awkwardly placed text is occasionally difficult to read, particularly when placed against darker colors, and the small font does little to improve matters. Mrs. Ruler regularly speaks in rhyme, which can get tedious while her students' words consist mainly of a listing of their (decidedly random) acts of kindness. Skewed perspectives, bug-eyed, round-headed children and large swathes of bright, flat color give the illustrations energy and contemporary charm. The appealing pictures, expansive double-page spreads and positive message will likely ensure a wide audience--but a tad more creativity would have been welcome. (Picture book. 5-7) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
