Pay It Forward

An immediate bestseller when first published, Pay It Forward captured hearts all over the world, became a wildly popular film starring Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt, and spawned a generation of increased altruism. This fifteenth anniversary edition includes a new introduction by the author. It takes an inspiring and moving tale of a young boy who believed in the power of kindness and brings it to a new generation of readers.

Twelve-year-old Trevor McKinney accepts his social studies teacher’s challenge: come up with a plan to change the world. His idea is simple: Do a good deed for three people and ask them to “pay it forward” to three others in need. He envisions a vast movement of kindness and goodwill spreading beyond his small California town and across the world. The project, however, appears to falter. Jerry, a bum who receives some allowance money from Trevor, returns to a life of dissolution. Trevor wants his pretty, hardworking mother—a woman who raised him lovingly despite struggles with alcoholism—to marry his teacher, Reuben St. Clair. Reuben is a scarred, bitter, untrusting man with a disfiguring injury from Vietnam. He seems to come alive only when in front of his class. For a time that matchmaking brings nothing but problems. Ultimately, though, unusual things start to happen. Crime rates dip across the nation, and nobody seems to know why. Then a journalist tracks down the source: an epidemic of random acts of kindness.

Anyone who has ever despaired of one person’s ability to effect change will rejoice in Trevor’s courage and determination to see the good in everyone.

MY REVIEW:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1144481339

I won this book in a GOODREADS FIRST READS GIVEAWAY!

I remember watching this movie years ago and how much it touched my heart. A sweet little boy wanting to do better in the world by paying it forward. This is such a wonderful idea.

I think it's wonderful that Catherine Ryan Hyde started the Pay It Forward Foundation. I'm going to be buying some of the bracelets to wear in case I ever forget. Not everything in this world has to be so bad.

The characters in the book are great in their own unique ways. I loved when Mrs. Greenberg paid it forward by leaving her money to Matt, Terry and the cat rescue and her no good son she left a dollar. I loved the stories of other people paying it forward.

There are people in this world that pay it forward in their own ways to this day. I love it!

Of course it has a very sad ending, but it wasn't all for nothing. 5 Stars!