Debut Alabama Author Kimberly Carter’s Sweet and Colorful Picture Book Encourages Empathy

Calhoun County, AL – Sweet and Colorful Picture Book Encourages Empathy to Eliminate Everyday Barriers from debut author Kimberly Carter. The author states that she wants her book to serve as a model for teaching kids kindness in a world where children face issues such as isolation, discrimination, poverty, violence, broken families, and cultural barriers, it isn’t always easy to be kind. Take a Walk in My Shoes tells how one little girl makes choices that help, instead of hurt, those around her. Every page features an example of how readers can practice empathy and compassion.

Questions and answer with Ms. Carter

Q1: When and why did you decide to write Take a Walk in My Shoes?

I previously wrote a book in honor of my oldest daughter, Adalyn, in 2018, titled Searching for Santa in Chambers County. I couldn’t leave my other daughter, Catherine, out! This led me to begin thinking of ideas for a second book. Final- ly, I settled on a topic: in a world of so much pain and darkness, I wanted to bring some light—so I wrote a book about being kind. Kindness is not based on race, background, career, or how much money you have. Anyone can be kind. My chil- dren are my greatest achievements, so I hope they will always be a beacon of light to others and practice kindness! That is why they inspired this book.

Q2: How did you come up with the exam- ples of kindness you used in the book?

I thought about my day-to-day interactions. I work at a hospital, so I see many different peo- ple and situations. I go to the grocery store; I pick my kids up from school; I see them playing on the playground.
My boss calls blessings in your life, “yellow cars”. You never notice them, but they are all around you. I just thought about all the yellow cars I see in my life…and the non-yellow ones that could be yellow to someone else! These ideas became the examples I use in Take A Walk in My Shoes.

Q3: As a mom, how do you encourage your children to demonstrate kindness?

Practice what you preach! I’ve never been one to run from a problem. I like to face them head-on and find solutions, especially solutions that cen- ter kindness. I have many titles: mom, employee, friend, wife, servant, Christian, etc. I like to think that in each of these roles, I am demonstrating to others how to be the best version of them- selves. I especially hope my children see me as a role model for kindness, so that they too pay it forward. Also, my husband and I have a saying: “If I go, the kids go”. We try to take our children to as many events as we can. I like to think this gives them exposure to many life lessons, kind- ness being one of them.