From School Library Journal
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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
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Review
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“...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
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