Jessica Kluthe Pens Shining New Children's Book, "Kindness Is a Golden Heart"

When Jessica Kluthe had her first child in 2017, it was, she notes, “a hard time to enter parenthood.”

In contrast to the joy of a new child, a “dark political year” hung heavy in the air, weighing on her mind. As it did, the writer and MacEwan University instructor began to realize that she couldn’t, and shouldn’t, hide the state of the world from her child as she grows.

“I wondered a lot about what we can do when we feel hopeless,” Kluthe continues, over email. “When you have a baby, you are constantly busy, but also constantly in your head with time to think (and cycle through your thoughts, and newsfeed). I realized one thing we can do is do good.”

That was the beginning of Kindness is a Golden Heart, Kluthe’s first board book for young children.  Gorgeously illustrated by Toronto-based Charlene Chua, it uses metaphors and rhymes to show the importance of treating others with kindness.

“By presenting children with simple, daily opportunities to be kind, we can demonstrate the power of using our ‘golden hearts’,” Kluthe says. “We can restore some light.

“The broad metaphors, I hope, also speak to adults who—while parenting and educating through such an uncertain time—are, maybe like me, longing for goodness,” She adds. “Kind acts are an antidote because they provide hope.”

Kluthe grew up in Morinville, and earned her MFA from the University of Victoria. After some time spent in Edmonton—she was named one of Edify’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2013—she and her family decided to move to St. Albert. Living there, Kluthe has found no shortage of examples of her book’s central message.

“Our neighbourhood is full of the KINDEST people,” she stresses. “Like drop flowers off on your doorstep, bring your kids’ gifts from their travels, and even neighbours far down the street coming to introduce themselves and bring baked goods... honestly, at first, we were like... ‘where are we?’”

Her other writing, including the bestselling Rosina, The Midwife, has been geared towards adults. But Kluthe notes that she sees some parallels between that work and this one.

“Rosina, The Midwife, is embedded with these threads of motherhood and matriarchy,” she says. “And now, here I am, a mother, years after writing that book: and I am always thinking about what it means to mother. For me, books certainly fit into that. […] Board books and picture books are such a great parenting tool—so, it makes sense in my own life story, to have written a book for my daughters (and other young readers!).”

“This is the Golden Age of books for kids if you ask me,” Kluthe adds. “There are so many inventive, inspiring books out there. Picture books can become like this other parent doing a lot of heavy lifting like starting key conversations and gently introducing difficult topics. [...] I am feeling fortunate to have this little heart book out on the shelves alongside so many books I have been so grateful to be able to reach for and share with my children.”

By: Paul Blinov

Buy Kindness is a Golden Heart. To learn more about Kluthe and her writing, follow her on Instagram.

Photos by M.Ay.Z Photo.

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