There are books that talk about kindness, and then there are books that show children how a small act of kindness can change the way we see someone else.
The Jelly Donut Difference by Maria Dismondy, illustrated by P.S. Brooks, is one of those books.
The story follows Leah and Dexter, twins who don't always see eye to eye. Like many siblings, they argue, compete, and have moments when getting along feels much harder than it should. But a simple visit to their neighbor, Ms. Marvis, begins to change the way they think about the people around them.
When the children discover that Ms. Marvis lives alone, they begin to see her differently. They listen to her stories, learn about her childhood in Poland, and discover the special jelly donuts she remembers making with her family. What follows is a simple but meaningful act of kindness that brings the children, their neighbor, and their own family a little closer together.
It's a warm, engaging story about kindness, empathy, generosity, family, and community. But it is also a story about something children experience every day: learning to look beyond themselves and notice how their actions can affect another person.
And perhaps that's what makes The Jelly Donut Difference such a meaningful read-aloud. Children aren't simply hearing about kindness.
They are seeing what kindness can look like in real life.
What Is The Jelly Donut Difference About?
The story begins with Leah and Dexter, twins who are not exactly getting along. Their sibling disagreements are familiar and relatable, and their relationship gives the story a very realistic starting point. They are not presented as perfect children who always know how to be kind. They are children who are still learning how to manage their feelings, cooperate, and think about other people's needs.
When their family needs some eggs, Leah and Dexter visit their neighbor, Ms. Marvis. While they are there, they begin to notice something about her life. She lives alone, and the house is quiet.
Instead of simply getting the eggs and going home, the children become curious about their neighbor. They listen to her stories and discover that she grew up in Poland and has memories of making jelly donuts with her family.
That conversation changes the way they see Ms. Marvis.
The donuts become an important part of the story because they connect food, family memories, culture, and kindness. The children don't simply hear about something that was special to Ms. Marvis. They decide to do something with that new understanding.
They make jelly donuts for her.
What begins with a simple visit eventually becomes a beautiful example of how paying attention to another person can lead to an act of kindness.
Why This Story Is So Important for Children
Kindness can be a difficult concept to teach because it is easy to turn it into a list of rules.
Be nice.
Share.
Help others.
Use kind words.
All of these ideas are important, but children also need opportunities to see what kindness looks like in everyday situations.
The Jelly Donut Difference gives them that opportunity.
Leah and Dexter don't begin the story thinking about how they can make the world a better place. They are simply going about their day. But when they notice that Ms. Marvis is alone, they become curious about her experience.
That is an important step.
Before children can respond with empathy, they often need to notice that someone else may be feeling or experiencing something different from them.
The story gives children a natural way to talk about those moments.
Have you ever noticed someone sitting alone?
How can you tell when someone might want company?
What could you do to make someone feel welcome?
What is a small thing you could do for someone without being asked?
These conversations feel much more meaningful when they grow naturally from a story.
The Importance of Noticing
One of the ideas I especially love in The Jelly Donut Difference is the idea that kindness begins with paying attention.
Children are often very focused on what is happening to them. They are thinking about what they want, what feels fair, whose turn it is, or what happened five minutes ago.
Leah and Dexter are no different.
But their visit with Ms. Marvis gives them a reason to slow down and look beyond their own experience. They notice her quiet home. They listen to what she has to say. They become interested in her memories.
That simple act of noticing changes everything that comes afterward.
This is a wonderful idea to explore with young children because empathy doesn't always have to begin with a big conversation about feelings. Sometimes it begins with a much simpler question: What do you notice?
What do you notice about this person?
What do you think might be happening?
What makes you think that?
What could you do?
Those questions encourage children to observe, wonder, and think about other people's experiences.
A Story About Family and Sibling Relationships
The relationship between Leah and Dexter adds another important layer to the story.
They are siblings, and they don't always get along.
This makes the story especially relatable for children who have brothers or sisters. Arguments, competition, frustration, and disagreements are all part of growing up together.
But the story also shows that relationships can change when people find something meaningful to work toward together.
Leah and Dexter have the opportunity to cooperate because they both care about doing something for Ms. Marvis. Their shared purpose gives them a reason to put their differences aside and work together.
This creates a wonderful opportunity to talk with children about cooperation.
What happens when you have to work with someone you don't always agree with?
Is it possible to disagree and still work together?
What can two people accomplish when they share the same goal?
These are meaningful conversations to have after reading the story because children can connect them to their own relationships with siblings, friends, and classmates.
Food, Memories, and Culture
The jelly donuts are much more than a fun part of the story.
Through Ms. Marvis, children discover that food can be connected to memories, family traditions, and culture.
Her memories of making jelly donuts with her family in Poland give children a glimpse into a childhood that is different from their own. The food becomes a way of connecting the past with the present and of sharing part of her story with someone else.
This is one of the reasons food can be such a powerful starting point for book-based learning.
Children already have their own experiences with special foods.
Maybe there is something their family makes for a birthday. Maybe there is a recipe that belongs to a grandparent. Maybe there is a food that reminds them of a celebration, a holiday, or a special person.
After reading the book, you can invite children to talk about those connections.
What food reminds you of someone you love?
Is there something special your family makes together?
Who taught you how to make it?
Does a particular food remind you of a special place or celebration?
The conversation can become a beautiful way to help children understand that food is sometimes more than food. It can carry memories and stories from one generation to another.
Looking Closely at the Illustrations
The illustrations in The Jelly Donut Difference give children another way to enter the story.
The expressions and body language of the characters help children understand their relationships and emotions, while the cozy family scenes contrast with the quieter moments at Ms. Marvis's home.
This makes the book a wonderful opportunity to slow down and look carefully at the pictures.
What do you notice about Leah and Dexter?
How can you tell when they are getting along?
How do their expressions change throughout the story?
What details tell you something about Ms. Marvis?
What can you learn from the pictures that isn't directly explained in the words?
Children don't always need to be able to name an emotion immediately in order to recognize it. Looking closely at facial expressions, posture, setting, and small visual details gives them opportunities to build that understanding naturally.
And sometimes, when children look carefully enough, they notice details that adults might have missed.
Taking the Story Beyond the Book
One of the reasons I love using The Jelly Donut Difference as a book-based experience is that the story naturally invites children to think about the people around them.
After reading, you might ask children to think about someone who could use a little kindness.
It could be a friend who is having a difficult day. It could be someone new who doesn't know anyone yet. It could be a family member, a neighbor, or someone who helps them every day.
The important part is not choosing the "perfect" answer.
It is helping children understand that kindness begins when we pay attention to the people around us.
The story also opens the door to dramatic play. Children can pretend to visit a neighbor, prepare a special meal, run a little bakery, or recreate the experience of making and sharing jelly donuts.
They can use playdough to make pretend donuts, set up a bakery, create menus, or prepare a pretend delivery for someone who needs a little cheering up.
Rather than simply recreating the story, these experiences allow children to take its ideas and make them their own.
From Kindness to Action
One of the most valuable things we can do with a book about kindness is give children an opportunity to experience the idea rather than simply talk about it.
After reading The Jelly Donut Difference, invite children to think of one small thing they could do for someone else.
They might make a card for someone.
They might invite someone to play.
They might help clean up a shared space.
They might make something to give to someone.
They might simply notice that someone is alone and ask them to join.
The action doesn't have to be complicated.
In fact, keeping it small can make the experience more meaningful because children begin to understand that kindness isn't something reserved for special projects or special occasions.
It can happen during an ordinary day.
Making Room for Conversation
The Jelly Donut Difference is also a wonderful book for slowing down and making space for children's ideas.
There is no need to turn every page into a comprehension question or ask children to identify the "lesson" of the story.
Instead, allow them to wonder about the characters.
Why do you think Ms. Marvis was happy to share her story?
How do you think Leah and Dexter felt when they learned more about her?
Why do you think they decided to make something for her?
How do you think Ms. Marvis felt when she received the donuts?
Have you ever done something kind for someone and noticed that it changed the way you felt too?
These conversations allow children to make connections between the story and their own experiences.
They aren't simply answering questions about a book.
They are thinking about how the story connects to the world around them.
Try These Book-Based Activities
Make Jelly Donuts with Playdough.
Invite children to make their own pretend jelly donuts using playdough. They can experiment with different shapes, colors, and ways of showing the "jelly" inside. Turn the activity into a pretend bakery and let children decide who they would make their donuts for.
Create a Kindness Bakery.
Set up a simple dramatic-play bakery inspired by the story. Children can make pretend donuts, take orders, create menus, wrap their "bakery" treats, and deliver them to different people in the classroom or play space. Encourage them to think about who might receive each treat and why.
A Food With a Story.
Invite children to draw a food that is special to their family. Ask them to share who makes it, when they eat it, or what memory it brings to mind. Younger children can dictate their story while an adult writes it down.
Kindness Delivery.
Invite children to make a small card, drawing, or pretend gift for someone. Talk about what might make that person feel cared for. Then let children deliver their creations.
Build a Neighborhood.
Using blocks, recycled materials, or loose parts, invite children to create a neighborhood inspired by the story. Add homes, a bakery, a family house, a park, and other places children might find in their own communities. Encourage them to create stories about the people who live there.
Work Together Like Leah and Dexter.
Give children a collaborative challenge that requires them to work together. They might build something, prepare a pretend meal, create a bakery display, or make a large piece of artwork. Afterward, talk about what helped them cooperate and what they did when they disagreed.
Extending the Learning with a Book Companion
Some picture books are enjoyable the first time you read them, but others give children more to think about every time they return to the story.
The Jelly Donut Difference is one of those books.
Its relatable sibling characters, meaningful message about kindness, connection to family and community, cultural element, and memorable jelly donuts create many opportunities for children to revisit the story through literacy, conversation, dramatic play, creativity, and social-emotional learning.
My The Jelly Donut Difference Book Companion was designed to extend that experience without taking away from what makes the story so meaningful. It gives children opportunities to explore comprehension, sequencing, vocabulary, characters, feelings, kindness, writing, and other story-based activities connected to the book.
Because a good picture book can become much more than a story we read once.
Sometimes, it becomes a starting point for conversations children remember long after the book is closed.
The Difference One Small Act Can Make
The Jelly Donut Difference reminds us that kindness doesn't always begin with a grand gesture.
Sometimes it begins with noticing that someone is alone.
Sometimes it begins with listening to someone's story.
Sometimes it begins with making something and sharing it.
And sometimes, a simple jelly donut can become a way of telling someone that they are remembered, included, and cared for.
Leah and Dexter's experience with Ms. Marvis gives children a gentle reminder that the people around us all have stories, memories, feelings, and experiences that we may not know anything about.
When we slow down enough to notice, we begin to understand them differently.
And that is perhaps the most beautiful difference of all.
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