Best-Selling Author's New Holiday Book Teaches Kindness to Kids; Boys and Girls Clubs of America Introduces the Daniel Sparrow Kindness Challenge.

SALT LAKE CITY -- With the increasing prevalence of violent and cruel behavior in the nation's schools, best-selling author Adrian Gostick and gifted illustrator Shauna Raso have introduced a book that teaches the impact of small kindnesses to children, teenagers and their parents. A portion of the proceeds from sales of "Daniel Sparrow: A Holiday Story" the book will go to The Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

"Cruelty and social anxiety can be found on every playground in North America, leaving many parents wondering if there's anything that can help their children become more kind and compassionate," said Gostick. "'Daniel Sparrow' is a simple story that helps children and teens understand that even a small kindness can make a big difference in another's life. Reading it together, and talking about the message of caring contained in the book, is a simple step toward building upon the inherent character of kindness within your child."

To promote the issue of children's kindness, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America is sponsoring a challenge in Utah to discover examples of kindness in school children: How one student helped a new student integrate into a new environment, how a group of kids befriended someone lonely in the neighborhood, how students used kindness to help change a bully, and so on. Students have been able to submit entries of 50 words or less into the Daniel Sparrow Kindness Challenge online at www.danielsparrow.com. The most touching entry will receive free signed copies of the book "Daniel Sparrow" for every child (and the teacher) in that student's classroom. The best entries will be included on the Website.

"As soon as I read 'Daniel Sparrow' I knew the Boys and Girls Clubs had to support this important and delightful book," said LeAnn Saldivar, executive director of the Greater Salt Lake chapter. "Our goal is to enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness and belonging. The challenge of teaching kindness is at the forefront of what we do, and this book has a wonderful message that can help create a better environment for kids to grow up in, and help them develop into caring adults with kindness at heart."

Note to Editors/Producers/Writers

To interview Adrian Gostick on the subject of teaching kindness to children, please contact him directly at [e-mail] or call 801-493-3122.

About the Book

"Daniel Sparrow: A Holiday Story" is an illustrated book for all ages. It is available at www.danielsparrow.com or on Amazon.com. One dollar from the sale of each of these inexpensive hardcover books is donated to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

About Adrian Gostick

The Wall Street Journal and BusinessWeek best-selling author of the books "A Carrot A Day," "The 24-Carrot Manager," and "The Integrity Advantage," Adrian's books on motivation and ethics have been translated into 15 languages and have been called a "must read" by Larry King of CNN. Adrian holds a master's degree from Seton Hall University where he is a guest lecturer.