Zero Local: Next Stop: Kindness

K-Gr 2–In this wordless picture book, a young girl riding a train is inspired by an artist’s impromptu drawing to show some appreciation to the driver. She and the other passengers soon come to anticipate the artist’s daily creations, but when they suddenly stop showing up on the train, it’s up to the girl to fill the train and the world with beauty. The message of creating art to reduce hatred and stress in the world is simple but effective and may lead to discussions about what’s happening in each scene, as some pages are more open to interpretation. The artwork is the star of the piece. As in the Murrows’s The Whale, the photorealistic pencil drawings are expertly detailed and textured, while the gray palette creates a subdued tone, initially fitting to the theme. The illustrator later adds hints of bright yellow to characters who are literally touched by art—which will help younger readers unlock the meaning behind the story.