Kimber here. Saying you might want to stock up on tissue before tackling one of the best non-fiction books we’ve read all year. It’s Jackie Kurtz’s Kindness Heroes: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things. Cuz we just finished it. And Mom is doing that sniffly, sparlky-eyed thing. Again. Cuz, ya know. Mom. (Insert eye roll here.)

I’ll let Mom tell ya more:

This book celebrates kindness. Yes, a lot of books do that. But what sets Kindness Heroes apart is that it started “with a single ripple” – the death of the author’s son. “When Matt lost his battle with mental illness at the age of 32, we were left with deep grief and one guiding question: How can we honor Matt in a way that reflects the legacy he left behind?” writes Kurtz in the Introduction.

And Matt’s Kindness Ripples On was born. It’s a small nonprofit that highlights kindness and kind people. The nonprofit presents Kindness Awards to those who inspire everyday kindness, and Kindness Grants to support people “bringing their kindness projects to life.”

The book is a collection of their stories.

But it’s also a lot more. The collection aims to move and inspire and “stir something inside you, a reminder that you, too, are capable of incredible kindness… You just have to begin.”

Kindness Heroes shows you how, offering real-life examples and inspiration along the way.

Sixty-two chapters touch on a wide variety of contexts, backgrounds and experiences, including how one little girl’s smile and some yarn turned into a worldwide movement. How a recovering meth addict created a nonprofit that cares for pets when their owners undergo addiction treatment. How handmade blankets transform grief into love. How three people trying to stock local food banks snowballed into a regional movement. How you can turn compassion into action and change lives. Lots more.

Top-notch writing and nimble pacing bouy a wide range of kindness stories. Chapters are bite-sized, easy to digest, and include a “Kindness quote” and a Reflection. The latter includes a question to engage readers further. There’s plenty of variety to keep readers turning pages.

A section on Keep the Kindness Going is included.

It’s like a cool glass of lemonade on a hot August day. With extra ice.

Indeed, Kindness Heroes is a “pass along” kinda book. As in, once you finish it you can keep kindness ripples going by sharing it with a friend. And on it goes.

Kindness Heroes is also a “glider read.” It’s quietly powerful without being pushy. You can glide in and out of chapters easily and at will. You can read the book at a sitting or over several days. You can read one chapter a day and  spend time ruminating on it before rushing into the next chapter. It’s a “no pressure” kind of book. Like a glider, eh?

Finally, Kindness Heroes is a breath of fresh air. Not just because it offers a mountain of hope, inspiration and positivity (and couldn’t we all use more of that these days?). But also because it arrived at a time when we were just about ready to give up on indie books. We’ve plowed through way too much junk in that category lately. In fact, we were a cat’s whisker away from refusing future indie titles altogether.

But then Kindness Heroes arrived. It restored our faith in indie titles. That “fresh air” thing. Cuz it’s sturdy, supple, and well-written. With pitch-perfect pacing. It’s also wholesome and heartwarming. Eloquent and articulate. Agile.  Engaging. We like, Totally Love-ified it!

We especially liked how ordinary, everyday folks are highlighted. How just one person with an idea and a mission and a Totally Pawesome Dog can make a difference. What?

Mom: So Kimmi. Are you going to stop barking at the neighborhood fluff ball now?

Kimber: I’m thinking, okay?

Finally, if you could use a fresh dose of hope, a cup of inspiration, or a tall glass of lemonade on a hot summer day, this one’s for you. Enjoy! (Kimber: Don’t forget the tissue, Toots!)