When Less is More (Small Ways to Make a Big Difference)

Sometimes the best way to make the world better isn't to do more—it's to do less.

Grown-ups are always telling us to do more. But what if sometimes the best way to make the world a better place is to do a little less?

Less keeping can mean more giving. Less buying can mean more making, saving, and recycling. Less driving can mean more walking and cleaner air. Less kvetching can mean more kindness. Less judging can mean more friendship and understanding. Less blaming can mean more gratitude and praise. And less screen time can mean more time laughing, talking, and simply being together.

Grounded in the Jewish value of tikkun olam, or “repairing the world,” When Less Is More invites children to consider how their everyday choices affect the people and world around them. The book's message is both simple and empowering: none of us can fix every problem, but each of us can choose whether we add to a problem—or help make things a little better.

With its upbeat rhyme, accessible examples, and hopeful call to action, this book shows young readers that repairing the world doesn't always require a grand gesture. Sometimes it starts with something very small: picking up litter, sharing what we have, saying thank you, helping out, giving someone a chance, or choosing kindness.