THE AFTER-SCHOOL KINDNESS CREW

A feel-good friendship begins in this series opener from Academy Award–winning actor Hawn and New York Times bestseller Lin.

Tony, Mia, and River are quite the trio. Mia just moved from Houston to L.A. and her best friend, newly adopted upon her arrival, is a serpentine sweetheart named Gary. River’s an aspiring actor and dancer, and he’s recently acquired tap shoes from his mom’s Gently-Used-But-Very-Cool clothing shop. Tony, who loves to draw, has a bustling home life and a particularly mischievous younger brother, ZoZo. When the kids bring their prized possessions to school for “Surprise Us Day,” their results are disastrous: The snake escapes, the tap dancer gets teased, and strawberry jam (courtesy of ZoZo) obscures Tony’s spectacular Spider-Man sketch. Attempting to recover their self-esteem, they head to the school’s Creation Station, where groovy, pale-skinned Ms. Gold (a stand-in for Hawn?) teaches them meditation and mindful journaling techniques. Refreshed and inspired, they go to the animal shelter, where they try to help a high-energy dog who’s up for adoption—but their exercise in kindness proves complicated. Though the plot is sometimes subsumed in detailed descriptions and mindfulness speak, an overall peppy pace and Chambers’ bubbly-sweet illustrations make for a breezy, engaging reading experience. Brown-skinned Tony is cued Latine, Mia has dark, wavy hair and is half Armenian, and River is pale-skinned with boldly highlighted hair.

Earnest, lighthearted, and fun.