Deborah Abela's "The Kindness Project" teachers' review

Brief description and distinctive features

Brief description of The Kindness Project

The Kindness Project is told from the main character’s point of view. Her name is Nicolette and the narrative opens with this young girl visiting her aged grandmother in a nursing home. This element of the narrative becomes a key feature in the novels’ strength - Abela expertly reimagines the nursing home and it challenges how we may treat the elderly. Nanna is feisty and intelligent and she craves for some fun but this is not happening at her nursing home, nicknamed Alcatraz by Nicolette and her nanna. At school the teacher, Ms Skye, announces a group project on how kids can change the world through endeavours that create and encourage kindness. But Nicolette finds school and her class alienating and she rarely feels part of groups. Ms Skye places Nicolette in a group with three other students, all of whom have previously not been welcoming nor kind: the tough DJ, Layal who Nicolette is sure would prefer to totally ignore Nicolette, and the newcomer, Leaf who is an excellent illustrator and creates wonderful images of himself and Nicolette. The group struggles to interact or to think of a project but soon they each start to learn more about each other and their own challenges, especially those at home. Ideas evolve for their own kindness project and the group finds acceptance and identity with each other and indeed, the kindness of such friendships.

About the writer

Deborah Abela is a popular and prolific Australian author who has written 30 internationally published and awarded books, including the Max Remy series, her climate change trilogy, New City and Final Storm and The Stupendously Spectacular Spelling Bee. Her CBCA Notable, The Book of Wondrous Possibilities, is about the power of books to save us when we feel lost. 

After training as a teacher, Deb travelled to Africa, where she was trapped in a desert sandstorm, harassed by monkeys and thrown in jail twice. She trained as a teacher before becoming writer/producer of a national children’s TV show at Network TEN. Deb has a website: https://www.deborahabela.com/. She is a popular visitor to schools and can be contacted though her website.

The Kindness Project has already been included in significant book awards:

• 2025 CBCA Book of the Year, Notable
• 2025 Shortlisted REAL Awards
• 2025 Children's Peace Literature Award

Distinctive features of The Kindness Project

• The narrative comprises many short chapters which range from one page; for example:  JIGSAW PUZZLES, NANNA AND ME, FRIENDSHIP MANUAL to other chapters which are over a page, and some extend to 3 and 4 pages for example, A SIMPLE WISH, LAYLA’S TURN, MY NIGHT-TIME WORRIES.
• The short chapters are an effective way to engage readers as the story is propelled quickly and readers feel rewarded for reading so much.
• Each chapter takes the reader directly into the narrative which also propels the narrative’s pace -for example the opening chapter starts: 
          Nanna spills the pieces
          Over the table.
          1000 pieces.
• The white space on many pages is augmented by the verse structure of the narrative so that each line is short and enjambement compels the reader to the next line.
• The creative use of font adds to the visual appeal as well as often having a functional lexical role e.g. specific word groups may be presented in a different font for example, adjectives or verbs and sometimes the key ideas of a chapter are highlighted through the different font styles and size. For example, on p193 the content of MY NIGHT-TIME WORRIES is amplified through the choice of different fonts to represent these words:  stumble, whisper, deep sleep, BOLT, WORRIES, sneak. BIG WORRIES.
• The chapter headings capture the key ideas e.g. THE REAL DJ and A MESSAGE FROM FAR AWAY
• Each chapter is written in the first person from the point of view of Nicolette who is also the key character. Dialogue enables the other characters to voice their insights and perspectives which broadens the narrative arc.
• Most of the narrative is set in school, the nursing home and the homes of the project group. Occasionally the narrative moves beyond to the wider world
• The variety of the characters is engaging, including the endearing Nanna and each of the children in the project group.  

Ways to use The Kindness Project in the classroom

The title focuses on the key quality of “kindness.” We associate the word “kind” with people rather than the rest of the animal kingdom and it usually is linked to people who are friendly, generous, considerate, warm and good-natured. Interestingly the origin is Germanic (cynde) and was related to kin; the original meaning was “nature and the natural order” so it had a broader meaning and then evolved to be associated with one’s nature, and innate character. By Middle English the word became more specific and was equated with “well born or well bred”, and then “well-disposed by nature, courteous, gentle, benevolent” which is closer to what it means for us today. 

The website Paperbark which explores ‘the joy in books’ added this explanation to their post on The Kindness Project:

Kindness is a superpower. It’s also infectious. We feel good when someone is kind to us, and when we’re kind to others. Studies show that kindness floods our bodies with hormones that make us calmer, healthier and happier, plus it’s simple and free! Kindness is a strength and helps build resilience. When we practice kindness, we also practice compassion. We understand everyone has bad days, including us, and that makes us more inclined to let things slide if someone is mean or doesn’t react as we want.

Discuss with the students their understanding of the word “kindness” Students could create a wall chart to display: “Kindness is …”

After reading the book discuss with students the effectiveness/success of the novel’s title in capturing the core ideas. 

Discuss the narrative style known as the “verse novel.” As younger readers, students would have been familiar with picture books, nursery rhymes and stories being written in verse but this style has now expanded to older readers and indeed, there is a wide choice of Young Adult verse novels. It would be valuable to have a selection of other verse novels to show your students or ask the librarian to create a “Verse Novel” display.

A verse novel is a hybrid literary form that tells a full-length narrative story through poetry rather than prose, often using free verse, stanzaic forms, or varying poetic styles. Given the fewer words per page, authors need to be selective in what they choose to add to their story and this often results in greater emotional intensity and certainly ensures that writers make their point more quickly and efficiently. 

Key characteristics and elements

• Narrative structure: Despite being written in verse, these novels retain typical narrative elements like plot, character, and dialogue, but in a compressed format.
• Style: They often utilize free verse (unrhymed), but can include rhyme, haiku, or concrete poetry.
• Focus on emotion: Due to the compressed nature, the focus is often on the protagonist's internal, emotional journey.
• Structure: They often feature many short poems, often one per page, with significant white space to allow for pacing and reflection.
• Length: They are typically shorter in word count than traditional novels

What features of the verse novel are evident in The Kindness Project?

What other conventions characterise this novel; for example, note how Abela creatively uses different fonts. As students read the novel, suggest they take note of the different ways different fronts are used. At the end of the reading make a list of different fonts for different reasons. For example: in the chapter WHAT HAPPENS NEXT on p 176-178 the font changes amplify key emotions of this chapter.

Discuss why the author emphasises these words through font style and size: explodes, breaks, expect, lighter, weirdos, friendly shoves, DJ, Shoulder, crashing. Down, ever, supreme golden rule, when, even more, never, like he really means it, weirdos.

Sometimes the author chooses specific groups of words like adjectives or verbs to emphasise through the font. Verbs are the “muscles” of our writing and careful, purposeful selection of verbs will make the difference to our writing.  For example, consider these verbs and why they are effective?

• p. 36 the air HISSES with tension
• p.52 the dinner cart CLANGING and CLATTERING through the door…he CLANGS a metal dinner tray….
• Find five examples of how Deborah Abela has used verbs in creating her effective narrative.

The characters:

Abela creates characters we can relate to and believe in. This is a wonderful skill and is called characterisation. Choosing what to include in creating a character is very important in increasing the character’s’ realism, resonance and engagement with us, the reader.

Discuss with the students who are the main characters in The Kindness Project?

Who are secondary characters?

Where does nanna fit in to this scheme? Explain your response.

Allocate a character to small groups or groups choose a character:

• What do you most enjoy about your chosen character?
• What role does your character have in building the narrative and representing the key themes of the novel?
• Find five comments about their character which the group finds enlightening and interesting.
• Share your group’s findings with the rest of the class.

Themes or messages 

Apart from the plot, narrative style and characters, a key to the success of a novel (or play or film) is what it leaves you thinking about once you have completed reading. We may call this the themes or messages of the novel which differs from the story. Themes are often more universal and consider the broader picture about humanity, life, people, society and if successful, they will speak to us across time and place.

Discuss the ideas and themes from the novel listed below and ask the class to add any more they think are important:

• The power of kindness to transform life’s experiences
• The power and importance of friendship in creating a better society
• The importance of people in your lives to enrich 
• The ability of collaboration to empower thinking, creativity and action
• Acceptance and embracing differences
• What really makes a superhero?
• Valuing people for who they are and have been
• Collaboration for success

Return to the same groups as the “character” discussion and using the list of ideas from above and from the class discussion, create a hierarchy of their importance in the novel to your group. Be sure to emphasise that in many cases such decisions are not determined by being correct or not, but by what impact has been made on the reader.  

Share the different hierarchies: how similar or different are they?

Task: choose 2-3 which are regarded as significant and write half a page on how these themes are represented in The Kindness Project.

Commentary about the novel

When an author writes a novel, they want people to read it. This can be through purchasing a copy, borrowing a copy from the library or influencing teachers to incorporate the novel into their program in schools. Publishers use a variety of strategies to promote their books including collecting favourable comments from the wider reading audience including book reviewers, book sellers, book shops and enlisted readers representing the specific age groups and other writers. 

Here are some comments by readers of The Kindness Project:

• “A heart-warming story about four kids who overcome their differences and take on the world”.
• “An absolute gem of a book!” Maryam Master, author of No Words
• "The Kindness Project shows us the strength and transformative power of kindness. Told with tenderness and creative verse, this book will sweep you off your feet and live in your heart permanently." Zanni Louise, author of Queenie in Seven Moves
• The Kindness Project is a heart-warming verse novel about friendship, family, change and resilience. (QBD books)

Task: Which comment best appeals to you and explain why. 

Write your own 30-50 review of The Kindness Project which would suit the back cover or a promotional poster or a website.

Taking the story further:

Here are some ideas to take the story beyond what Deborah Abela has written.

In writing extra features, be sure to sustain the same narrative style and layout as Abela so that it fits naturally with her ideas and content.

Consider a separate chapter to focus on:

1. Bushranger at Alcatraz is replaced and the new carer is cognisant of the wonders of elderly people especially the capacity and cleverness of Nanna.
2. A range of other projects the group suggests before they decide on the Story Detectives.
3. The events of DJ’s dad in New Guinea when the truck rolled.

Access this interview with Deborah Abela: https://alphabetsoup.net.au/2024/07/24/deborah-abela-on-the-kindness-project/

Abela offers some suggestions for writing your own verse novel:

Think about a something that has happened to you that made you feel happy or nervous or excited. e.g. auditioning for a play, getting your first pet, the soccer grand final. Tell that story, including how you felt, but only writing a few words per line. Include only the really important parts of that story. When you think it is ready to review, look at the verse and see which words you can make look like their meaning. Here’s an example from pages 16 and 17 in The Kindness Project.

Tasks: Try writing another 2-3 verses where you incorporate different font styles and sizes to emphasise the verbs and then the adjectives.

or

Research Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai and write 30-50 words in verse about their achievements. Be sure to incorporate some creative use of fonts.

On her website, Deborah Abela offers some excellent hints for writing and these will be valuable as you progress through to high school where effective and writing in. arrange of styles is very important:

Relevant details in relation to the new NSW English K-10 syllabus

Text requirements: Australian author, novel

Concepts: representation • point of view • characterisation • connotation, imagery and symbol • genre

These statements from the K-6 English syllabus are an important and powerful reminder about our role in the classroom and the nature of literature

The importance of language in English

Students’ knowledge and understanding about language will grow and deepen as they engage with increasingly complex texts across a range of modes. Students continue to develop their understanding of how language use at word, sentence, paragraph and whole text-level, is determined by context, audience and purpose. Students’ knowledge of their first language will support this development.

The development of students’ vocabulary and background knowledge can be supported by their teachers engaging them in rich discussion and analysis of a range of texts, including those widely regarded as quality literature. This can support students’ comprehension and has the potential to expand their ideas and experience of both their own world and the world of others. As students deepen their knowledge of language, they can apply new understanding to purposefully communicate their ideas, with increasing confidence and efficacy. Through knowledge and understanding of language, students can appreciate, reflect on and enjoy texts that are widely regarded as quality literature.

https://curriculum.nsw.edu.au/learning-areas/english/english-k-10-2022/overview#access-content-points-k-6-english_k_10_2022

Literature

Literature is defined as a body of work that has enduring personal, social, cultural or aesthetic value. It comprises a dynamic and evolving range of fiction and nonfiction texts from diverse contemporary, historical and cultural contexts. Literature is a way of sharing experiences about and beyond readers’ lives while also creating empathy and opportunities for enjoyment.

Literature should be readily available to students in the classroom and updated regularly.

Across each year of learning, teachers must give students daily opportunities:

• To be read to: Teachers can support the development of reading for pleasure. By reading aloud and engaging students in discussions, teachers provide students with access to texts beyond their immediate means, introducing them to new ideas and vocabulary and encouraging them to explore different ways of thinking.
• For wide and deep reading: Students should independently read and respond to a wide range of texts of varied genres and topics, with increasing complexity. They should also read and respond to texts of personal interest. Students should read aloud and silently for meaning, to acquire new ideas and vocabulary for communication, and for enjoyment.

Relevant NSW English K-10 Syllabus content

Understanding and responding to literature

A student analyses representations of ideas in literature through narrative, character, imagery, symbol and connotation, and adapts these representations when creating texts EN3-UARL-01

A student analyses representations of ideas in literature through genre and theme that reflect perspective and context, argument and authority, and adapts these representations when creating texts EN3-UARL-02

Narrative

• Describe how narrative conventions engage the reader through models of behaviour, and apply narrative conventions when creating texts
• Recognise that narratives reflect both personal and common lived experiences and offer models of behaviour, which may be rejected or accepted
• Describe how patterns in narratives set up expectations and notice when those patterns are subverted

Characterisation

• Analyse attributes of character and use similar attributes when creating texts
• Recognise how character archetypes and stereotypes are represented in literature
• Analyse how engagement with characters within and between texts invites enjoyment of literature
• Identify the ways different elements of a text contribute to character development and adapt these elements when creating texts

Imagery, symbol and connotation

• Analyse how figurative language in literature can enhance meaning and affect the audience
• Recognise recurring and universal symbols and imagery in literature, describe their meanings and experiment with symbol and imagery when creating texts

Genre

• Explain how genre can be recognised by established codes and conventions that govern content and construction of literature, and apply this knowledge when creating texts
• Examine and experiment with elements in literature that do not follow the form and function of a single genre

Theme

• Identify core social, personal and moral messages within and between texts
• Identify and describe messages common to lived experiences that recur in literature and use these representations when creating texts

Perspective and context

• Identify how perspective is made evident through authorial choices
• Explore how perspective is influenced by personal, social and cultural contexts
• Reflect on and explain how personal, social and cultural context is expressed in own texts

Reading comprehension

A student fluently reads and comprehends texts for wide purposes, analysing text structures and language, and by monitoring comprehension EN3-RECOM-01

Reading for interest and wide purposes

• Select, compare and reflect on texts read for personal interest
• Reflect on reading experiences and identify texts and language features that are enjoyable
• Select texts from print or digital sources to gather and organise research on a topic
• Use criteria to determine the accuracy and reliability of sourced information
• Bring subject vocabulary, technical vocabulary, background knowledge and conceptual knowledge to new reading tasks
• Use and compare different texts on similar themes or topics to synthesise ideas or information

(English K-10 Syllabus 2022 © NSW Education Standards Authority for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2023) 

Connecting texts: taking your reading further

After The Kindness Project consider reading more books by Deborah Abela and write some short reflections on what it is about her books which makes her so popular:

Or explore more verse novels which have featured in this blog:

Sally Morgan’s Sister Heart (September 8 2023) and Bindi by Kirli Saunders (august 25 2023)

There are also the wonderful poetry anthologies by Maxine Beneba Clark- It’s the Sound of the Thing (December 17 2023) and Stuff I’m (Not) Sorry For (August 25 2025)