The Power of Encouragement

Turning "I Can't" into "I Can"

Children - Grade K-3rd
32 Pages
Reviewed on 02/25/2026
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Mimie Odigwe for Readers' Favorite

The Power of Encouragement: Turning "I Can't" into "I Can" by Ruth Maille is a children's picture book featuring Orbit, a cheerful globe, who arrives via rocket at a kindergarten classroom to teach students about two interconnected superpowers: courage and encouragement. Five classmates, Natalie, Giuliana, Dominic, Lulu, and Trent, share their personal stories of how words of support helped them overcome fear and self-doubt, whether riding a roller coaster, learning to read, losing a game, facing the water in swim class, or surviving the first day of kindergarten. The word 'encourage' contains the word 'courage' inside it, which means that lifting others up gives them genuine bravery. The story ends with the whole class cheering together: "You can do it!"

The Power of Encouragement is a warm and well-crafted addition to Ruth Maille's Power Of series. Children will likely recognize themselves in at least one of the five student characters, making the message relatable. Orbit's clumsy entrance (tripping over the rug, knocking over crayons, and the band-aid on his head) is a smart choice, which demonstrates the very lesson being taught: everyone stumbles, but what matters is what you do after that. The colorful, expressive illustrations by Pardeep Mehra are vibrant and engaging. The characters are diverse and full of personality, and the emotions are conveyed as much through art as the story. The Power of Encouragement is well-suited to the target kindergarten-to-early-elementary audience. The message is delivered with warmth and just the right amount of humor to keep young readers engaged.

Emma Megan

The Power of Encouragement: Turning "I Can't" into "I Can" by Ruth Maille is a must-have children's picture book for every family. It's part of The Power Of series, which, with the help of Orbit, a caring planet-Earth character, teaches kids about kindness, gratitude, empathy, respect, and positivity. In this book, Orbit guides young readers to believe in themselves. Orbit visits a kindergarten classroom to discuss two superpowers: courage and encouragement. After the kids define encouragement and courage, Orbit asks them where they see encouragement in their lives. Thus, each child shares moments from their lives in which they were feeling down or afraid to try something difficult or new, but with the right words from the closest adults in their lives, they were encouraged to try again and keep moving forward. Every child's story shows that, with encouragement, they can build the courage to believe in themselves and face everyday challenges.

The Power of Encouragement is a brilliant, compelling, and beautiful book that captures the essence of helping children transform doubt into determination and replace "I can't" with "I can." With mesmerizing illustrations by Pencil Master Studio, relatable classroom moments, colorful text, and simple yet empowering words of encouragement, this book is a great tool for shaping a child's behavior. Ruth Maille has crafted a truly engaging read that not only shows how a few supportive words from a parent, teacher, coach, or friend can help kids believe they can do things and feel strong, confident, brave, and ready to achieve their goals but also teaches them that they can be encouragers as well. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Lindsay DeRollo

The Power of Encouragement: Turning 'I Can't' into 'I Can' by Ruth Maille is a delightful story about a kindergarten classroom that has a surprise visitor named Orbit, a friendly and caring planet-Earth character from outer space. Orbit has come to teach them the importance of encouragement and being brave. Each child shares real experiences in life that are great examples of these two "superpowers" that they can all relate to. Each story highlights the power of encouragement in helping to build up someone's self-confidence, courage, determination, and resilience. This heartwarming book is perfect for both parents and educators alike to read to children to help them believe in both themselves and others, especially those who are afraid to make mistakes or try something new.

The Power of Encouragement: Turning 'I Can't' into 'I Can' by Ruth Maille is a fun and engaging story that kids can easily understand and relate to. They will enjoy learning new ways to be brave and realize that you can still be scared at the same time, and how to encourage other people. Another important message is that you don't need to succeed at something to be encouraging or courageous; what's more important is that you try your best and grow from these experiences. The bright and animated illustrations by Pardeep Mehra perfectly capture the friendly characters' personalities and enhance the rich worldbuilding. The band-aid on Orbit's head is a great symbol of resilience! I highly recommend this book to all children and their parents/educators to read and enjoy.

Luwi Nyakansaila

The Power of Encouragement (Turning "I Can't" into "I Can") is an inspiring children’s picture book written by Ruth Maille with illustrations by Pardeep Mehra. It follows the kids in a kindergarten classroom who are visited by Orbit, a friendly, planet Earth globe character. Orbit stumbles into the children’s classroom and teaches them about encouragement and courage. He describes them as superpowers and asks the class to share their own understanding of the two words. The children talk about how encouragement means cheering for someone and making others feel better, and courage means trying something new even when you are scared. They start sharing stories about times they faced their fears, and surprised themselves, and they remember the people who stood by them, cheering them on the whole way.

The Power of Encouragement is part of The Power Of series by Ruth Maille, and it shows how encouragement is essential in children's development. Encouragement helps kids be brave and have a positive self-image. This book teaches the reader that encouragement is the fuel of courage. What I loved about this book is that it teaches children not only that they are encouraged and supported by their teachers and parents, but also that they can encourage and support their friends by cheering them on and helping each other in teams. This way, they can become brave and kind individuals. Besides the motivational message, the colorful pictures are eye-catching and bring the warmth of the classroom to life. Orbit is a memorable and endearing character. He is cheerful, clumsy, and very inviting, allowing children to pitch in and share in the discussion. I enjoyed this book, and I recommend sharing it with your children because it has an uplifting message that will inspire them to believe in themselves and support others.

Liz Konkel

The Power of Encouragement by Ruth Maille teaches children the power of “I can” when a lovable planet visits a classroom. When Orbit visits a kindergarten class, the students learn about two incredible superpowers: encouragement and courage. This sparks a discussion about fears and anxiety that the students have experienced in their lives, such as riding a roller coaster or getting back on the balance beam. Each of these stories provides examples of times that required them to use courage or encouragement, which make for perfect teaching moments that parents and teachers can use. These showcase the necessity of supportive words and the power these have in giving strength to others, especially when these words come from someone children love and respect. This lovely story also teaches children how they can encourage each other.

Young readers will enjoy the lovable planet, Orbit, which makes quite an entrance into the classroom. This provides humor, keeping the tone lighthearted while touching upon important themes. These themes focus primarily on courage and encouragement, with the different lessons they learn, such as positive self-talk, confidence, resilience, and friendship. Ruth Maille teaches children the importance of encouragement by focusing on helping others keep going, cheering them on, and the value of teamwork. The story presents courage as taking action even when it’s scary, being brave, and not letting fear prevent you from doing something. The idea is that mistakes are okay and you should encourage someone to keep going. The illustrations by Pardeep Mehra are a playful introduction to the upbeat Orbit, who rides through space in a rocket. This unique image will immediately get the attention of children and keep them invested in the antics of this personified planet. The visuals have an easy-to-read style for children, with keywords color-coded. The Power of Encouragement is a humorous story with important themes.