This story is a great way to show how random acts of kindness, smiling at someone, giving compliments, or helping someone in some way can go so far! "Have You Filled a Bucket Today?" paints a picture that everyone has an invisible bucket that is always with them. This bucket carries their happiness and good thoughts, but when it is empty they are sad. You can spread joy and happiness just by being kind. This book will go hand in hand with the fairly new program that most school are doing, Leader In Me and the 7 habits. Several schools have adopted this program and really pushing being a leader and being kind to one another. One term they use is called an "emotional bank account" which is exactly like the invisible bucket in this story. This book is a great example for students to picture everyone's feelings being in that bucket. I think it helps them connect the idea instead of just telling them to be kind. I would read this book to any grade level. It is a great reminder, even for adults!

Lexile: AD710L