A New York Times Bestseller For Lady Gaga, kindness is the driving force behind everything she says and does. The quiet power of kindness can change the way we view one another, our communities, and even ourselves. She embodies this mission, and through her work, brings more kindness into our world every single day. Lady Gaga has always believed in the importance of being yourself, being kind to yourself, and being kind to others, no matter who they are or where they come from. With that sentiment in mind, she and her mother, Cynthia Germanotta, founded Born This Way Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to making the world a kinder and braver place. Through the years, they've collected stories of kindness, bravery and resilience from young people all over the world, proving that kindness truly is the universal language. And now, we invite you to read these stories and follow along as each and every young author finds their voice just as Lady Gaga has found hers. Within these pages, you’ll meet young changemakers who found their inner strength, who prevailed in the face of bullies, who started their own social movements, who decided to break through the mental health stigma and share how they felt, who created safe spaces for LGBTQ+ youth, and who have embraced kindness with every fiber of their being by helping others without the expectation of anything in return. In one story, you’ll read about a young person with an autoimmune disease, who after being bullied at school, learned how to practice self-love and started an organization with the mission of educating others about the importance of self-love, too; and in another story, you’ll meet a young person who decided to start a movement to help eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health and encouraged others to talk about their feelings openly and honestly, a reminder that kindness and mental wellness go hand in hand. Not only were we moved by these individual acts of kindness, but we were also touched by the many stories of organizations, neighborhoods, and entire communities that fully dedicated themselves to helping those in need and found new, innovative ways to make our world a kinder and braver place. Individually and collectively, these stories prove that kindness not only saves lives but builds community. Kindness is inclusion, it is pride, it is empathy, it is compassion, it is self-respect and it is the guiding light to love. Kindness is always transformational, and its never-ending ripples result in even more kind acts that can change our lives, our communities, and our world.

Simple and actionable tools to help busy young people make a difference in the world. Young people can make a difference in the world no matter how busy they are. Simple Acts shows them how, with easy and practical tips, activities, and resources that will inspire teens to add intentional acts of kindness and service to their everyday lives. Simple Acts equips tween and teens with the hands-on tools and know-how they need to make small but meaningful change, such as: honoring happy occasions by giving back raising money and awareness for the causes they care about harnessing the power of social media to spread positive messages A passionate advocate for family and youth service, Natalie Silverstein, MPH, wrote Simple Acts to inspire a more realistic approach to service for young people, a more organic way to make the world a better place: one simple act at a time.

Grow Kind is a gentle narrative based on positive psychology and choice theory, essentially about cultivating kindness. Kiko grows and cultivates her garden, harvesting and sharing the fruits and veggies with her friends, neighbors, and family. This delightful tale serves as a metaphor of nurturing relationships and community, while sharing kindness with others. Grow Kind is the perfect read alongside Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller and Jen Hill, I Am Kind by Suzy Capozzi and Eren Unten, I Am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde and Peter H. Reynolds, Kind Ninja: A Children’s Book About Kindness by Mary Nhin, Tomorrow I'll Be Kind by Jessica Hische, and Channel Kindness: Stories of Kindness and Community by Born This Way Foundation Reporters and Lady Gaga. GROW READERS with the acclaimed Grow series of books Grow Kind, Grow Grateful, and Grow Happy.

One girl’s simple act of kindness causes ripples in her community in this witty, heartwarming story about paying it forward The day after a mighty storm, a little girl finds a sea star that has washed up on shore, and she returns it to the ocean. Seeing her small act of kindness, an old man heads to an animal shelter with his grandson to pick a dog in need of a home. His grandson feels inspired to help an elderly woman clean up her yard, which inspires a teenager to pack an extra lunch for someone in need, and on and on until each small gesture builds toward a magnificent conclusion. Full of humor, heart, and proof of the generosity that we all have inside of us, Christian Trimmer and Kaylani Juanita’s story is a welcome reminder: It’s the little things that make a big difference.

Students need updated writing genres, and a real reason to write. Evolutions in technology and connectivity have brought about significant changes in the ways writing is produced and shared. Yet despite monumental shifts in the practice of writing, how we teach writing has remained largely static. What we need is a new set of genres for writing instruction: genres that will speak to students who are already immersed in rich and multifaceted literacy practices through social media, gaming, and new technologies. Jessica S. Early’s Next Generation Genres provides an alternative framework for a secondary writing curriculum that places a central emphasis on helping students gain the experience they need to write with confidence in academic and civic life. If your students’ eyes glaze over when they face a standard essay assignment, perhaps it’s time to let them try writing an infographic or a podcast!

The Kindness Story is an insightful book that illustrates thoughtful ways children can show acts of kindness. Its written in a simple yet enticing way that will engage the minds of young children. Written through the eyes and voice of a little six-year-old girl, this book will allow children to relate to the stories that Loveah Savannah shares, and they will be fascinated as they turn each page wanting to know more.

“An eloquent reminder of the great truth that life is with people and none of us can be truly human alone.” —Harold S. Kushner, author of When Bad Things Happen to Good People The world has changed in so many ways in recent decades—and as a result, meaningful connections are increasingly elusive. TheCommunity of Kindness encourages us to create new ways of building community through the practice of kindness. It is through that effort that we become most fully connected, alive, and integrated. From the people who brought us Random Acts of Kindness, this insightful book can not only lift your heart, but fill it with the happiness that comes from feeling a sense of connection with the world and people around us.