This was a cute and quick read! My 2.5 yo loved it. She was actually recently given a painted rock by a kind stranger at the post office when they saw her inspecting all of the rocks out front. She has been carrying this rock around everywhere and while reading this book she squealed and yelled “rocky” (which is what she calls her rock), and went to grab it. It was so fun watching her make that connection.

My children and I were so excited about this concept and chatted for several minutes about how we can include a kindness rock garden in our new home. This is a wonderful way for children to show kindness to others.

A simple story told in just a few lines, yet powerful enough to bring goosebumps and even tears of affection. I love the idea behind it—not just as a book, but as a real-life practice.
I also enjoy painting kindness rocks and leaving them around the city, watching as some disappear, new ones appear, and others remain, carrying their messages through the seasons. A small reminder like "Your smile decorates the world" or "Yes, you can do it!" can brighten someone’s day.
This book is a gentle nudge to live by the golden rule—treat others the way you want to be treated. Be kind, and let the world see it!

I really enjoyed this book and I think it has the potential to reach a lot of kids (and their family members) and impact others in a real and positive way!

I appreciated the repetition in this book. I feel like that will make the messaging very clear for young readers as well as make it easy for them to remember. I also really enjoyed the visible diversity throughout the story as well as giving kids very applicable ways that their positivity and kindness can help others.

I loved the step by step instructions in the back of the book for ways to join in the Kindness Rocks movement. I also really loved the bright colors and the illustrations used in the story!

I think it’s so critical to teach our kids from a young age that their words make a difference. To equip the youngest of us with the super power of positivity and a positive mindset? AMAZING. I love it.

Such a great book for school aged children that promotes kindness while also providing educators ideas for kindness projects. Loved the illustrations and the messages written on the rocks throughout the books. This would make a great addition to any elementary classroom!

Kindness Rocks is a beautiful book that promotes and explains empathy and kindness to children. I enjoyed reading it with my kids and talking about values with them.

Kindness Rocks is a beautifully illustrated story about making people happy with simple acts of kindness. The story is repetitive which aligns with little kids and their passion for using the same phrases. This one is “bad bad day”. As the first little boy finds a wonderfully painted rock with a positive affirmation on it, he decides to pay it forward by making a rock of his own. Kids love to follow a pattern. And the next person follows suit to pay it forward. I love the idea of a kindness rock garden. I think schools should adopted this for their own way to pay it forward. I believe I will be using this premise for my speech kids when they are having a bad day.

I love this book and this idea. I think it is perfect for a classroom and for all kids to be reminded of kindness and how we can spread it. The pictures are beautiful and so fun. This book is great.

My children and I have had the joy of finding kindness rocks in our community and we've always talked about making our own. I seen this book and thought we would check it out. It's a very simple, easy to read and understand book that teaches the concept that kindness matters and one simple little act can turn a person's entire day around. It is a bit repetitive however.

5/5 Kindness Rocks by Megan Murphy

I read this with my 2 and 4-year-old, and they absolutely loved it! I was so touched by how the simple words convey such a powerful message. The illustrations are playful and really bring the story to life. This book is a wonderful reminder that even on tough days, we’re not alone, and a little kindness can brighten someone else's day. It's the perfect read for storytime or bedtime, offering both encouragement and inspiration for little ones and grown-ups alike!

This book instantly spoke to me. I've always had a thing for rocks and have them around my garden, painted and otherwise. But this book about The Kindness Rocks project is splendid. The children depicted in the book are very relatable to so many children and that they were given a rock and passed the kindness forward by painting a rock of encouragement was very heartwarming.

The drawings are adorable and the link in the back to The Kindness Rocks Project is wonderful.

Beautiful cover, beautiful message, and beautifully made.

Get some rocks, a few brushes and paints in a few colors ready because after this book you're going to want to paint some rocks! :)
I highly recommend every school library orders this book. Lovely message and so needed.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Familius, for the opportunity to read and review Kindness Rocks by Megan Murphy.

A sweet book with adorable illustrations. Thank you NetGalley for ARC. My recommendation to the publisher would be to consider modifying the first two “bad days”. As an adult, I drop stuff and my bag spills everywhere. That does not constitute a bad day. Sometimes I eat lunch alone or look forward to eating lunch alone. That does not constitute a bad day. The other examples work better in terms of setting children’s healthier expectations for “bad days”. Lovely and encouraging story. I’m inspired to create a few kindness rocks!

During the co-vid pandemic a movement started, painting rocks with positive messages to spread kindness, positivity and hope. This book expands on that idea and shows how Kindness rocks can have an impact on day to day lives. Through colorful pictures, simple text and repetition this book tells the story of how a simple positive message can make a difference in someone's life. At the end of the story there is an explanation of the kindness project and how you can join. This gives families and educators a way to expand the learning and become a hands-on project.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a e-arc to review.

Thank you for granting me access to this ARC!

What a cute book about the Kind Rock Project. This book teaches kids that a small act of kindness can make a big difference to someone. I enjoyed the vibrant illustrations.

I love the kindness rocks project and am so excited about this book being released! This book shows the power of finding a positive message, especially when you’re going through a hard time. Now more than ever, we need more kindness rocks in the world to spread hope and joy.

I paint rocks myself and seeing how other appreciate the effort I put into the art and how excited they get when they find a rock makes it so worthwhile. I encourage everyone to give it a try!

I loved the message of this book and will definitely be recommending it!

This is the kind of book I would’ve EATEN UP at a crafty little kid. Hell yeah show me how the rocks work HELL YEAH give instructions on how to make kindness rocks. This is the kind of book you could gift an early years teacher and it would be great to have while doing this craft with a class. Does it have plot? Not really. Is it repetitive? Yes. But that’s not the POINT. The point is you paint a rock and feel better.

3.5 stars
The beginning was a little to repetitive but the messages in the rocks made each page stand out. There was a good mix of diversity in this book. It encourages children to "pay it forward" with a kindness rock. The title was a good play on words: not only are children seeing examples of what kindness rocks could look like, but it is also saying being kind is a cool thing!
The last page explaining what kindness rocks are and how to join this project is very informative not only to children but to adults. Educators can use this book to aid with a lesson plan, librarians can use it to come up with a program, and parents/caregivers can use this as a family activity or a neighborhood experience.

This story was full of hope as young children faced various hardships through the encouraging messages passed on through painted rocks. I loved the story itself and how it encourages children to pass on kindness. The words themselves were pretty basic, told in verse that did not change throughout so that the illustrations did most of the storytelling, I only wish there had been a bit more variety through the book to support that.

Kindness Rocks is an amazing initiative that has been around for a long time. This book shows young readers what the intent of the “craft project” is supposed to bring to others. I love the last page which brings the description about The Kindness Rocks Project as well as how to join the project. The illustrations are amazing and I think this book would be a great read to children before participating in the project.

Thank you to NetGalley and Familius for the advanced reader copy. This book will be published on March 11, 2025.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy


This is probably one of the most important books you can read to a child. There may not be a more important life lesson for young children than it is to be kind. As the book says, "kindness rocks!"

I also really liked the beautiful and vibrant illustrations in this book. A charming and heartwarming story. Pick up this book for your kid!