Hollis Kurman

" A book filled with warmth, togetherness, connection and empathy."

"Being an anti-racist starts with listening to the experiences of others. Read books (...) and tell their stories to your child."

"This book is a jewel!"

"What a beautiful book with a marvellous message this is!"

"Nice counting book on a current social theme."

"A counting book with a valuable message? It can be done."

"...[the] story follows along the numbers 1 to 10, a very simple technique that works perfectly here... It is beautiful to see and to read how naturally the new children are welcomed into the class and the football team. Moreover both of these groups are very diverse and colorful."

"Dit prachtige prentenboek, waar heel veel (vluchtelingen)kinderen en volwassenen iets aan zullen hebben waardeer ik graag met 5 sterren."

"Special picture book about helping refugees while learning to count from 1 to 10. In the first spread, a mother and her young children are fleeing a war situation. The reader is succinctly introduced to what is happening but at the same time offered hope and direction."

"The beauty of this book is its simplicity...The [illustrations and text] reinforce each other in their message and get straight to the essence in a charming way...The author is donating 10% of her income from the book to Amnesty International. A small but very important gesture for a hopeful future."

"This is a special picture book. 'Packaged' as a counting book, it tells the story of a refugee family's journey to a safe place."

“… This world needs a Counting Book of Kindnesses. The way it is written and illustrated is pure and intense, and it took courage to convey such a difficult subject in a light, appealing and positive way. But it is more than that: by choosing to portray the refugee child’s journey through the lens of help offered along the way, it shows, to children and adults alike, the best we can teach ourselves. In the words of Victor Frankl, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor: ‘When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change our attitude towards it.’ May this book challenge and inspire us to change our attitude, to open our eyes to the kindness around us, and to be kind ourselves.”

“Hollis Kurman's captivating Counting Book of Kindnesses shows how with care, thought and artistic flair, young children can be introduced to important global issues whilst allowing hope to shine through. I can imagine teachers using this book to stimulate meaningful dialogue about child refugees and foster empathy for those who go through such challenging experiences.”