A portion of every order of The Backpack will be donated to

"With her second book, Barry took the lesson beyond the page. For every book sold, she’s donating 25 cents to Blessings in a Backpack, a national nonprofit that sends elementary school-aged children home with backpacks full of food on the weekends who might otherwise go hungry."

-KATIE BIANCO, NORTHERN VIRGINIA

"The rhyming text will resonate with young kids who recognize the desire to have the perfect accessories for the year, and the message of kindness and reaching out to others will hopefully stick with them as well."

-VICKI, BABIESTOBOOKWORMS

"My children (ages 3 1/2 and 9) love this book! My 9 year old got the gist of the story right away and my 3 1/2 year finally understood it after we’ve read it a few times. A story like this is important and all children need to learn about this at a young age."

-JENELE, TWO CLASSY CHICS

"The Backpack is a book written by Lindsay C. Barry who wrote this after feeling pressured to buy her son a brand-name backpack as he set off for school. Reflecting on that, she realized she wanted to be sure her kids were receiving the right message and were learning the right lessons: that it’s not what we look like on the outside, but how we treat others that really counts."

-ERIC SLUKA, PARENTING HEALTHY

"This book is so encouraging- both for kids and parents. For us, it really helped open the door for honest conversation and communication. I remind my son daily that I am proud of him for who he is, and that he should never feel that he has to conform to fit in with anyone else. It's also a beautiful story of courage, reminding kids to stand up for each other and do the right thing- showing kindness to everyone we meet. THE BACKPACK helps us celebrate our uniqueness, and we're so thankful that Lindsay Barry was inspired to write this beautiful, timely story."

-ONDRIA WITT, MOMMY'S BLOCK PARTY

"JustaBXgirl has finally gotten rhyming. I think because she says words differently at times it was hard for her to hear and match, ending sounds. Now that she has gotten the hang of rhyming we look for books that help her not only hear but see the sounds. Matched with having a great message The Backpack is a new favorite!"

-JUSTABXMOM

"One of the best stories every kid should hear before going to school. A kind word does matter to all and it doesn't matter what is inside your bag. All that matters is what is inside your heart. Also, we should remind our children not to be a bully and never be rude to other kids seeing their outward appearance. The author did a great job and the story flew in a rhyming fashion."

-KAREN NIRUPA, NATHANREADINGJOURNEY