Reviewed by Philip Van Heusen for Readers' Favorite

Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends by Jen Kirkley touched my heart. It is a wonderful book about being different from others yet thriving while being differently abled. Willard finds it hard to make friends because he feels different. He takes a path that leads him to several others who are different from their peers, and they become friends. This children’s picture book teaches three major life skills of being different: name the difference, find something good about it, and then move on to showing kindness along the way. Being different is seen as good or bad, depending on your attitude and mindset. Learn to look for the good in everything. Several differences are highlighted, including wearing glasses, having a speech impediment, being unable to eat certain things, and acting differently. Learning to accept and love others overcomes any differences.

I grew up with a speech impediment, wearing glasses, and many childhood diseases and chronic physical disorders. I remember having to learn the lessons Jen Kirkley teaches in such a delightful way in Willard DoGooder and the Trail of Friends. The illustrations by M. Brayer highlight the story and will draw your child’s attention. We must learn to embrace our differences with love and unconditional acceptance as a society. As you read this book with your child, help them identify their and their friends’ differences, then search for the good in those differences. Please encourage your children with stories of people who faced impossible odds but overcame them to become famous. As parents, we want to help our children fit in and belong. Helping them accept their differences and the differences of others goes a long way in helping them feel loved.