A young boy named Whoa and his father have a weekly routine that involves sharing some hot chocolate and watching the nightly news. As Whoa pays attention one week, he realizes how much of the news is heartbreaking. Stories of people suffering, fighting one another, or being treated unfairly dominate the headlines. Whoa internalizes this and begins to feel a crushing sadness, making him feel helpless. Staying awake in bed, Whoa gets the idea that if he becomes a master at fighting, he can take on all of the world’s problems and make them better. After his son tells him the plan, Whoa’s father takes him to the city to face these issues head-on. What Whoa quickly learns with the help of his dad is that the world’s ills don’t need to be conquered by brute force, but rather, it is kindness that makes the difference.

Many parents and adults can probably admit to watching the news and feeling as powerless as Whoa, so this book is a perfect way for adults and children to bond together and come up with ways to make life more pleasant. The simple artwork of Whoa and his father traveling around the city adds a lot of color and character to this already charming story. The dynamic between Whoa and his father is a great way of highlighting the different methods of problem-solving that adults and children are prone to. The narrative itself provides three direct ways that people can make a difference in their neighborhood with kindness, but readers will be able to take these same basic principles and come up with their own. Young readers looking for uplifting inspiration to deal with modern problems will be able to learn from Whoa and his father’s example.

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