Words Are Not for Hurting / Las palabras no son para lastimar

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Book:  Words Are Not for Hurting / Las palabras no son para lastimar (Book Link)
Author: Elizabeth Verdick (Author Link)
Illustrator: Marieka Heinlen (Illustrator Link)
Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing
Date of Publication: 2009
Genre: Picture Book, Diverse Protagonists, Bilingual, Informational Text
Lexile Score: AD450L
Citation: Verdick, E. (2009). Words are not for hurting = Las palabras no son para lastimar. Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing.

Summary:  In the story the characters are taught the importance of thinking before they speak.  They learn that words can hurt people's feelings, and that once things are said it isn't always that easy to take them back.  It also puts a strong focus on saying "I'm Sorry" when we do something wrong, or hurt someones feelings.  Overall learning that our words can be used for good, and that they are meant to be kind.

Audience:  This book is targeted at the age range of kindergarten through second grade.  This book is written in both English and Spanish.  Therefore I think it would be a great addition to incorporate multiple languages into the classroom.  It also shows that people must use kind words to each other across all cultures.  

Evaluation:  I think that this is a high quality picture book, and teaches many important lessons.  The book also includes many great parenting tips.  It involves a summary of why it is so important for us to say "I'm Sorry."  Sometimes it can be very difficult for kids to realize that they have done something wrong.  Therefore by simply saying "I'm Sorry" it can mean much more than people think.  It also includes a list of activities such as how to express ourselves using different faces, and describing different feelings.  I think by including these different resources it makes the application of the book that much stronger.

Activity: 
Good Manner Garden:  For this activity they are going to create a garden using good manners.  They will cut out different types of flowers and glue them onto a piece of paper.  Then on each flower they will write out examples from the stories on how to use their words kindly.  They can write out examples in which they can use "I'm Sorry".

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