I Can Give Picture Book
Ages 4-7
I Can Give Kids Journal
Ages 8-12
I Can Give Teens Journal
Ages 13+
Start where you are. Noticing is giving.
What is I Can Give?
Notice what stops you. That's where you give.
I Can Give is how I share something that is at the heart of Bag of Joy. A belief that giving starts with noticing.
I started Bag of Joy in 5th grade when I noticed not every kid gets to experience the holidays the way I did. That's where I chose to make a difference and give. Since then, I've written a picture book, two journals, and visit preschools and schools to share one idea with kids: that noticing someone is already a form of giving — and if they want to do more, that's where it starts.
I Can Give Picture Book
Ages 4-7
A story about noticing the person right next to you. Not the big moments. The small ones you usually move past.
I wrote it because I wanted young kids to know that they don't have to do something big to make someone feel seen.
It's a good first book for kids who are just starting to learn that caring about someone is already a way of giving.
I Can Give Kids Journal
Ages 8-12
A journal for kids to notice what they feel and to notice others.
I wrote it because when I was 10, I noticed something I couldn't stop thinking about. That feeling is what started everything — and what made me realize that noticing is where giving begins.
This journal is for kids who are ready to pay attention to their own feelings and to the people around them.
I Can Give Teens Journal
Ages 13+
A journal for teens to notice what they feel and to notice others.
I wrote it because as a teenager I've realized that we notice a lot — we just don't always know what to do with it. This journal is a space to stop and pay attention to what's already there, and to know that noticing someone is already a form of caring.
It's for teens who are ready to sit with their own feelings and to pay attention to the people around them.
Preschool & School Visits
Picture Book Read-Aloud, PreK through Grade 2
I come in, sit with the kids, and read I Can Give aloud. We talk about what noticing means and what it looks like in small, everyday moments. Kids ask questions, share what they notice, and leave with something to think about.
Each visit is free and takes about 20 minutes. A teacher or staff member is present at all times. I leave a copy of the book and optional discussion prompts so the conversation can continue.
School Visits
I Can Give, Grades 3 through 5
I share how Bag of Joy started. I was in 5th grade when I noticed not every kid gets to experience the holidays the way I did. So I did something small about it.
Then we discover what each student notices. Animals, the elderly, the environment, kids who need more. Every student has something they care about. This visit helps them find it.
Each visit is free and takes about 30 minutes. A teacher or staff member is present at all times. Students leave with free access to the I Can Give app, no login required.