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From School Library Journal --------------------------- K-Gr 2—"Most people love to smile. Most people love to laugh," begins this well-intentioned work of bibliotherapy. In a bright, clean city, a large cast of recurring diverse characters go about their day, illustrating the book's message that "Most people want to make other people—even strangers—feel good. Most people are very good people." Of course, some people do bad things, like swear, lie, steal, bully, and destroy, but the book repeatedly reassures readers that they are in the minority. Doing something bad doesn't necessarily make someone a bad person; people make mistakes and can change. People can be sad or mad or have a bad day, but most would rather be happy. The friendly cartoon illustrations do a great job showing the connectedness of the community, emphasizing how each person can positively affect others, and dispelling stereotypes. Some parents may be chagrined to find that swearing is lumped into the "bad person" category. Additionally, the spread that discusses the total ratio of good to bad people is a little alarming, as it crowds all the bad people together "in a dark and gloomy room" and the shadowy figures are the site of reassuring. This book may be useful for kids struggling with general anxiety, but its simplistic message belies the lived experiences of many children. VERDICT Buy to spark classroom discussion or to fill a very specific gap in collections.—Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) Review ------ “...Summing up people as good or bad is, of course, an over generalization, but it can help start conversations for a wide variety of matters: race, religion, gender, and class. Older children might participate in discussions revolving around consequences of actions that could be both good and bad―for example, the graffiti shown here as “bad” could, under other circumstances, be “good.” This offers a fairly simple and positive perspective on the world around us.” - Jessica Anne Bratt, Booklist “I still believe most people in this world are kind ― and that’s the overall message of this heartwarming book. Little readers follow two families (one Black family and one White family) from sunrise to sunset as they interact with various other people in their community. Along the way, they see people doing both good and bad things. The book features diverse characters with different skin tones and physical abilities. I love the sense of community and messages of kindness embedded in the story. I also like how the book explains with simple reasoning that people who do bad things can change ― “there is a seed of goodness inside {each person} waiting to sprout.” The author’s note acknowledges that while children need to be careful of strangers, they also need to know that most people are good, kind, and helpful. Our children don’t deserve to be overly fearful of the world despite what they may see in the media.” - Charnaie Gordon, Brightly “ There’s a similar big-picture approach to diversity in “Most People,” written by the first-time picture book author Michael Leannah and illustrated by Jennifer E. Morris (“May I Please Have a Cookie?”), but the art wisely introduces repeating characters that weave in and out to form a separate narrative that aligns beautifully with the text. “Most people,” we are told, love to smile and laugh. Most people want to help other people. Most people love the sunshine. Most people are good. There are some people who aren’t good, of course, but if you could line up all the good people and all the bad ones, the line of good people would be much, much longer. That simple reasoning is perfectly pitched for its young audience, who will enjoy piecing together the story-within-a-story of the two main characters as they illustrate the messages of the text within the context of their own lives. “Most People” works especially well because it doesn’t just tell children to “be” good. It shows them how to “do” good. ” - R. J. PALACIO, NYT Book Review “ In today’s world with so many media and social media outlets, bad news often overshadows good news. It can be easy to begin thinking the worst―of things, places, and people. Michael Leannah and Jennifer E. Morris provide a reality check with their book that encourages children and adults to look around and make up their own minds about what they see. In his straightforward text, Leannah gives children easy-to-identify examples of emotions and behavior that they have themselves and can see in other people. He understands that shared experiences and feelings go beyond different clothing, hairstyles, or language to unite us. Most People is an inspiring choice to start a discussion on diversity, empathy, and kindness as well as on analyzing what we hear and see in and on the news. The positive perspective is welcome and provides young readers with comfort and examples of how people in general and they specifically can make a difference with even simple heartfelt gestures. Most People is an excellent book for home, classroom, and library bookshelves. ” - CelebratePictureBooks.com “This book is a great resource for younger children to understand that even though bad things happen sometimes (as seen in the news, etc), that most people are good, kind and helpful. It reassures children that even though a few people may choose to do bad things, most people are kind and want to help others.” - Jill at KDL Service Center, Kent District Library Staff Picks 2017 “ This reassuring picture book shows children that the world around them is filled with helpful and friendly people. It’s a strong response to the negativity so often seen in our world and absorbed by our children as frightening ideas and thoughts. The picture book is set in an urban and diverse neighborhood where accidents happen and neighbors help out. It’s a place where people are friendly, smile at babies, and watch out for one another. It’s a place where people in need are given assistance, where children are empowered to help. It’s the world where we all live right now, if we only can see it that way. Leannah writes in very straight-forward prose. He states again and again the certainty that most people are good and that most people see the world exactly the way the reader does. That most people want to help and do good. It is a book that brings a sense of safety to the young reader or listener, one that can help see their community and their school in a different way. It’s also a book that will start conversations about what kind of person they are and what positive changes they want to see in their world. The illustrations emphasize diversity and the friendly urban setting. The book follows the course of a day and ends with a beautiful city night and people seen through windows and on rooftops as a larger community. A strong and positive book that is important for children of today. Appropriate for ages 3-5. ” - Waking Brain Cells “ Author Michael Leannah wrote "Most People" as an antidote to the y words and images kids hear and see every day. Illustrator Jennifer Morris's emotive, diverting characters provide the perfect complement to Leannah's words, leading young children through the crowded streets of an urban day in the company of two pairs of siblings (one of color). We see what they see: the hulking dude with tattoos and chains assisting an elderly lady onto the bus; the Goth teenager with piercings and purple Mohawk returning a lost wallet to its owner; and the myriad interactions of daily existence, most of them well intended. "Most People" is a courageous, constructive response to the dystopian world of the news media and very highly recommended for family, daycare center, preschool, elementary school, and community library picture book collections. ” - The Midwest Book Review “There is a significant volume of children's literature dedicated to creating awareness of the possible dangers of strangers. While this is a very important lesson for children, a story that highlights the goodness in people is a welcome change. This story would fit very well into a study of communities.” - teacher “ When you read or watch the news, sometimes it can feel like the only things reported are terrible, depressing events. Am I right? Typically the media tends to concentrate on the negative events and bad people in life, rather than the good. Despite that, I still believe most people in this world are kind. Do you? That’s the overall message of this heartwarming book. Little readers follow two families (one Black family and one White family) from sunrise to sunset interacting with various other people in their community. Along the way they see people doing both good and bad things until they finally arrive back home again. The families enjoy dinner and dessert together on the rooftop of their apartment building where all the people from their community also live. This picture book is filled with various diverse characters of different skin tones and physical abilities. There is even a blind person shown along with their guide dog. I love the sense of community and messages of kindness. I also like how the book explains that people who do bad things can change. Because deep down aren’t all humans good people? I like to believe so or at least hope this is true. As the book states, “there is a seed of goodness inside {each person} waiting to sprout.” The author’s note acknowledges that while children need to be careful of strangers, they also need to know that most people are good, kind and helpful. Our children don’t deserve to be overly fearful of the world no matter how much the media communicates this. I think this book can help spark lots of great discussions with smaller children whenever tragedies strike as it’s easy enough to understand. A great book to add to your home or school library. ” - Mrs. G, Here Wee Read “I love this book! It is a perspective not often found in children's books so directly, that most people in this world are good. I can't wait to order this for our library, and I will be recommending it to patrons.” - Librarian, Lakes Region Library Read more ( javascript:void(0) ) See all Editorial Reviews ( /dp/product-description/0884485544/ref=dp_proddesc_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&isInIframe=0 )