The After-School Kindness Crew: Pooch on the Loose #1 - Softcover

Hawn, Goldie; Oliver, Lin

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0593889452 ISBN 13: 9780593889459

Publisher: Penguin Workshop, 2026

Synopsis

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From beloved Academy Award–winning Hollywood star Goldie Hawn and acclaimed author Lin Oliver comes an inspiring series about friendship, community, and the power of kindness, encouraging readers to take breaks and deep breaths as they read along!

When classmates Tony, Mia, and River find themselves together in Ms. Gold's classroom, a friendship quickly forms and leads them to creating the After-School Kindness Crew. Join the trio as they bring joy to those around them, with laughs, adventures, and brain breaks along the way. 

This first book in the series introduces the origins of the After-School Kindness Crew, starting with a Surprise Us Day in their fourth-grade class, which leads to more surprises than anyone expects! From an escaped snake to a rowdy dog let loose from his cage to disguises slipped on to save the day, the hijinks and humor continue from start to finish!

Read along to get to know the crew and learn how a sweet dog in need of adoption helps bring them all together.

About this title

About the Author

Goldie Hawn (she/her) is an Academy Award–winning actress as well as a producer, director, and bestselling author. In 2003, she founded the Goldie Hawn Foundation and launched MindUP, a mental health program designed to help children manage stress, build emotional resilience, and improve academic performance. MindUP now serves over seven million children in forty-eight countries and has recently expanded through a global digital platform. Hawn has authored two bestselling books and a companion journal focused on mindfulness and parenting. Hawn believes that “children light the path to joy” and has dedicated much of her life’s work to creating innovative solutions that help children thrive.

Lin Oliver (she/her) has written over sixty-five books for children, including the New York Times bestselling series Hank Zipzer: The World's Greatest Underachiever, Alien Superstar, and Detective Duck with cowriter Henry Winkler. She is the cofounder of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and was its executive director for fifty years. Her books are mostly comedies with a big dollop of heart. She also writes books of poetry for very young children, including Little Poems for Tiny Ears. She is happiest when making kids laugh. She lives in California.

Breanna Chambers (she/her) is an illustrator and graphic novelist. She enjoys making work that emphasizes the intimacy and importance of seemingly small moments, human connection, and the beauty of the mundane. She would have loved to do good deeds with the After-School Kindness Crew when she was in fourth grade, and she’s so pleased to be an honorary member now! Breanna's debut graphic novel, Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest by Adam Gidwitz, is set to be published in 2027. She grew up on the Central Coast of California, and currently resides in Seattle, Washington with her partner and their cat, Mr. Goose.

Edition details

• Publisher: Penguin Workshop
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0593889452
• ISBN 13: 9780593889459
• Binding: Paperback
• Illustrator: Chambers Breanna
• Number of pages: 160