Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Everyone makes mistakes, but what’s the best way to handle them?  From a parachuting bird crashing through a bathroom roof to an elephant driver rear-ending a mouse’s car, these animals show the good and not-so-good methods for saying you’re sorry.  It can be difficult, especially if you have to apologize to someone you don’t like, but a straightforward approach works best.  Don’t make excuses.  Be sincere.  A note can work.  And it’s never too late to apologize for something from the past.  Try to fix the situation if you can, but if you can’t, work to avoid making the same mistake in the future.  In the ideal apology situation, you will feel better, and so will the recipient of your apology.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The brilliance here is in the simplicity.  Apologizing can be difficult for all ages, and there’s nothing I dislike more than hearing a mumbled “sorry” from a kid who’s forced to apologize.  This really lays out the whole process in a way a human being of any age can understand, and lightens things up with the funny animal illustrations.

Cons:  It’s hard to believe this concept has not been better covered in children’s literature.