In a world of bad news, be a bridge! Both the words and illustrations in this book were beautiful. Our children need all of the empathy they can get and this was an engaging story to demonstrate it!

Engaging picture book that's very affirming for readers. Perfect for any read aloud as well as book displays. Love the representation in here.

What do you do when you see someone lonely? Be a bridge! The message shared in this book is to reach out and connect with other people. It's a great resource for social emotional learning focusing on respecting others' religious beliefs, being confident, welcoming new friends, inviting them to play but also respecting their choice not to participate, and how to be a good community member. The representation of many diverse cultures and ethnicities will allow children to see themselves reflected in the bright and colorful illustrations. This is a great book for younger children (the rhyming text will keep them engaged) and older children alike to serve as a reminder to be kind.

A seemingly simple poem that brings a complex wish for our world.
All inclusive characters are represented.
A wonderful addition for elementary-age children (and their adults).

Absolutely perfect. I work with children daily and am a huge children's literature fan. I love finding new books to read to my kids that have meaningful life lessons, especially those that teach about diversity and kindness. It is so important to start educating children early on about differences they may see in peers, how to treat these individuals, etc. SUCH a great message in this book, and the illustrations are adorable!

The bright and cheery illustrations will pull you in and the meaningful message will bring you back for a reread.

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Be a Bridge is a fantastic book by Irene Lantham and Charles Waters! Be a Bridge is a book that teaches kids and adults how to be more accepting of one another and how to give people space when needed. I really appreciated the message that is in the book and believe it would be a good book to read in any story time setting. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you to netgalley for providing an e-galley for review. Be a Bridge is a beautiful book that celebrates the differences that we all have and turns negatives into positives. It doesn't solve all the problems, but it's a start!

I would love to leave a review of this book. Unfortunately, every time I tried to open this in my kindle app I was only able to see the title page. The rest of the pages showed blank. The only page I can give a review on is the Title Page. The title page has a very engaging and colorful illustration with bright primary colors that catch the eye. I am impressed with the fact that the child on the page is handicapped which shows some inclusivity. I am hopeful that the rest of the book extends that inclusivity to race and gender as well. I would know if I could see it. I wish I could say more about this book, but alas I cannot since it remains a big blank.

This is definitely a "message" book rather than a story book, but it's a great message! This would be very useful for Social-Emotional Learning lessons. It could be a great prompt to help students brainstorm ways they have the power to be kind. The length of the text makes it most suited to early elementary and the situations presented are relatable to that age group. The illustrations are bright and engaging and feature a diversity of people so that lots of students can see themselves on the page. This is probably not one you'll pull out for fun, but it's a great resource and conversation-starter.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

This was a beautiful book! Oliver and I took our time reading this because we wanted to take in the amazing illustrations. Not only is it beautiful but so is the message. I am always worried about how other kids will treat my son. I try my best to teach him to be kind, compassionate, open, and loving to others. It’s all I can control and the best I can do. I do hope he takes it to heart and treats others this way. This book has so much diversity and representation. I think this is something that all parents should make their kids read or even teachers! Acts of kindness are very impactful things and I wish everyone would do more of it. Children learning these lessons at a young age give me hope for the future.

This is a very lovely book that Oliver and I really enjoyed. I don’t know that he fully got the lessons because he is only 3. I will be buying this and adding it to his library.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Carolrhoda Books for an e-arc to review.

I love the message of this book. This book explains how kids and adults can make a difference in this world. Definitely a great read.

This book is a book all about inclusion. The illustrations include children of all types.
The story tells children about kindness, inclusion, and sticking up for others.

This was absolutely perfect. It showed the importance of being both strong and resilient, but also empathetic and kind. I really think this hit all the right notes and would be vital in all primary level classrooms.

This book has a good message, but DEFINITELY needs a conversation for kids to understand what the author is trying to say. The rhyming verse would mkae it good for kids to read. It *is* important to be the bridge when things are bad in order to get to the good. Spread kindness.

This warmly illustrated picture book gives great examples to children about situations they may face at school where a classmate needs a friend or needs some kindness. It also provides an example of what they can do to help. A great read for preschool or grade schoolers.

This is beyond beautiful, both the message and the colorful & diverse illustrations. I ABSOLUTELY loved this book and the message it gives to reader. This is the perfect book to read to children to promote inclusion, understanding, tolerance, and compassion. Children are blank canvases for us to nurture well-rounded good humans and this book is such a great tool to have. The bridge pledge at the end of the book was a fantastic addition to an already wonderful children's book.

As an elementary school counselor I highly recommend “Be A Bridge” for Pre-K- 2 classrooms!

The rhyming text gives children concrete examples of how they can be a kind, inclusive, Upstanders (a bridge) to others. (Ie. Saying hello to a new student, inviting someone to join an activity, standing up to kids if they are teasing someone, etc.)

The illustrations in this story are beautiful and inclusive of many different races, religions, and abilities. There is a list of suggested activities that go along with the book as well as a “Bridge Builder Pledge” at the back of the book. A physical copy of this book will definitely be added to my shelf when it is released!

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review

One of my new favorite books with valuable lessons and actionable steps towards inclusivity for kids and adults alike!