Kindness is often spoken about as a social skill — something children learn through rules, manners, or correction. But in the work of Shelley Lewis, kindness is something deeper: an inner capacity that grows when children learn to understand themselves first.
Across her career as an author, publisher, and editor-in-chief, Shelley Lewis has consistently returned to one central idea — that children flourish when storytelling gives them space to explore their inner world. Rather than instructing children on how they should behave, her books invite young readers to notice what they feel, pause with curiosity, and respond with compassion. Kindness, in this framework, isn’t imposed from the outside. It’s cultivated from within.
This philosophy comes to life most clearly in Me & Mo, a children’s book series co-created with Mo Gawdat, best known for his adult bestseller Solve for Happy. Together, Lewis and Gawdat set out to translate timeless principles of emotional awareness and resilience into stories children could genuinely relate to — stories that meet them where they are, emotionally and developmentally.
From Adult Wisdom to Children’s Stories
When Shelley Lewis and Mo Gawdat first met, they discovered a shared conviction: happiness is not something we acquire later in life, but something we learn how to nurture early on.
Gawdat’s work with adults had already demonstrated how powerful a shift in mindset could be. His writing encouraged readers to step back from automatic reactions, observe their thoughts, and make space for greater clarity and peace. Lewis, working for years in children’s publishing, recognized that these same ideas could be transformative if introduced at a younger age — before emotional habits became fixed.
The question wasn’t whether children could understand these ideas, but how to present them without diluting their meaning or turning them into moral lectures. The answer was storytelling.
The Gentle Power of Me & Mo
The result of this collaboration was Me & Mo, a five-story collection featuring Dino, Jasmine, Raghu, Pierre, and Karma. Each character encounters experiences children recognize immediately — frustration, disappointment, jealousy, fear, or confusion — and each story offers a gentle invitation to pause and reflect.
Rather than presenting right and wrong, the books ask quieter questions:
- What am I feeling right now?
- Why might I be reacting this way?
- Is there another way I could respond?
This approach matters. Children are often told what to do, but rarely guided through how to notice their inner experience. By modeling reflection instead of reaction, Shelley Lewis’s stories help children build emotional literacy — a foundational skill for kindness, empathy, and resilience.
Teaching Kindness Without Preaching
One of the most distinctive features of Shelley Lewis’s work is what it avoids. Her stories do not shame children for negative emotions. Anger, sadness, and frustration are not portrayed as failures, but as signals — natural responses that carry information.
This framing is critical. When children learn that uncomfortable feelings are acceptable, they are less likely to act them out in harmful ways. Kindness, then, becomes a natural byproduct of self-understanding rather than a rule enforced by authority.
In Me & Mo, moments of kindness often arise not from obligation, but from awareness. A character notices how their reaction affects someone else. Another recognizes that a small pause can change an outcome. These are subtle lessons, but they mirror real life — and they stick.
Why Early Emotional Education Matters
Modern research consistently shows that mindset and emotional regulation play a major role in long-term well-being. Children who develop self-awareness early are better equipped to navigate stress, form healthy relationships, and recover from setbacks.
Shelley Lewis’s work acknowledges an important reality of the modern world: children are growing up in an environment shaped by constant stimulation, technology, and accelerating change. External skills matter, but without inner grounding, they are not enough.
Books like Me & Mo offer a counterbalance. They slow the pace. They encourage children to look inward, reflect, and make meaning from their experiences. These are not skills that expire — they grow more valuable with time.
A Resource for Families and Educators
While Me & Mo is written for children, its impact often extends to adults. Parents, teachers, and caregivers frequently find that reading the stories together opens conversations that might otherwise feel difficult to initiate.
A scene about frustration can become a doorway into discussing a hard day at school. A moment of kindness on the page can prompt a child to share something they noticed or felt. Rather than positioning adults as enforcers of behavior, the stories turn them into companions in reflection.
This shared exploration strengthens trust. Children feel heard, not corrected. Over time, this dynamic reinforces kindness as a lived experience rather than a concept.
Shelley Lewis’s Broader Vision
Shelley Lewis’s commitment to nurturing young hearts extends beyond a single series. Through her boutique publishing house, Chocolate Sauce, she has focused on creating books that blend spirituality, wisdom, and playfulness in ways children can truly engage with.
Her background as a journalist and editor — including her education at Columbia University’s School of Journalism and interviews with outlets such as Al Jazeera, BBC News, and The Huffington Post — brings clarity and intention to her storytelling. Each project reflects a humanitarian spirit, rooted in the belief that children deserve stories that respect their emotional depth.
Kindness as a Lifelong Skill
What makes Shelley Lewis’s books distinctive is their long view. They are not written to solve a single behavioral issue or deliver a one-time lesson. Instead, they plant seeds.
A child may not remember every detail of a story, but they may remember the feeling of pausing before reacting. They may remember that emotions can be observed rather than obeyed. They may carry forward a quiet understanding that kindness begins with awareness.
These small internal shifts accumulate. Over years, they shape how a person responds to challenges, treats others, and relates to themselves.
A Shared Mission, A Lasting Impact
The collaboration between Shelley Lewis and Mo Gawdat reflects a simple but profound truth: happiness and kindness are not destinations — they are skills we practice.
Me & Mo does not claim to have all the answers. Instead, it offers children something far more powerful: permission to notice, reflect, and choose. In doing so, Shelley Lewis’s books teach kindness not as a rule, but as a way of being — one story, one pause, and one gentle moment at a time.