Customer Reviews

The Day Leo Said I Hate You!

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This story will resonate with older preschoolers and mothers alike. Children get frustrated with rules and disappointments and as they learn to manage their feelings and their words, sometimes they let those not-so-nice three little words fly, "I hate you!"

Molly Bang's own bright and scribbled illustrations underscore the emotions conveyed by the story, and Leo's own drawings are used as an element of the story as well. I think it's a great way to open a conversation (or simply let the story teach without further pressing the issue).

This review contains plot spoilers, skip to the next if you don't want to know what happens, however with the title of the book, you've probably worked it out anyway.

I like the idea of this book, teaching children what words such as I hate you have on the recipient wether it's their parent or other children is a great lesson to be taught in a picture book. I just found that the main character Leo, inconsistent in how fast (as soon as he said it) he regrets saying the words "I hate you". This is before his mother explains to him why it's so wrong. Leo is for the events leading up to saying I hate you, basically a child showing no respect to his mother or other family member's possessions. His mother seems to be one of those in denial parents who doesn't want to discipline her child at all, thinking just saying no repeatedly is enough and probably if Leo ends up in jail or something down the track that it's society's fault or he has some medical condition excusing that behaviour. Leo obviously has no respect for the woman as is evidenced by his escalating destructive to the house and it's contents behaviour. So that fact that as soon as he utters the three words he instantly wants to take them back doesn't seem realistic to me at all. He would have known the things he was doing before were wrong but he still did them anyway. He's gone from not caring about breaking or vandalising other family member's possessions as well as parts of the house, to suddenly caring about his mother's feelings in relation to three words, which he obviously said to hurt her in the first place. That's not realistic to me, nor probably to most kids who come across people acting like Leo due to a lack of discipline in their upbringings in the playground and other daily aspects of their lives.

It would have made more sense if she or even better maybe another character such as sibling or grandparent who had overheard him say that, had pulled him aside and explained why saying that is never okay.

Simply comparing saying I hate you to a person to saying it in relation to various foods, I don't know would really teach Leo the lesson either. As part of a conversation with a bit more substance maybe, but not by itself. A good idea for a picture book, just not that well executed.

Leo is so tired of Mommy's NOs that he retreats to his room just to be in a no NO zone. He quickly finds that there's no such thing when Mommy walks in and tosses yet another NO Leo's way. This is when Leo decides to throw his own verbal weapon at Mommy.

This is a book all kids can relate to, as it puts anger, temper, fear, and doubt on display. Facing off with overwhelming emotion can be a challenge, and it's comforting for kids to know that others find the struggle just as difficult.

The illustrations, which blend paper cutouts and photographs, are just as kid-friendly as the text. They include lots of movement and color to liven things up. Simple line meets rich texture on each page and words are uniquely highlighted throughout the book.

This is a book that will stay on my shelf for a lot of re-reading and enjoyment.

Reviewed by: Julie M. Prince

Leo's mother was always saying no. No, no, no, NO! She said that when he rolled tomatoes across the floor. Splat, one hit the wall! She said that when he put string beans in the fish bowl. Plop! She said that when he danced on the table and again when he squeezed toothpaste all over the toilet seat and down into the bowl. "Mommy, no more no's! I HATE no! His mommy explained to him that there were some things he was going to do that would make her say no, but there were some things he "should not do." Well, Leo got very angry and went to his room.

He got out his crayons and started to draw a mean old picture of his mean old mommy on the wall. He even "made her mouth turn down" and "made her hair stick way up in the air." He was still drawing when all of a sudden his mean old mommy came into the room and began saying that awful word NO again. He started yelling at his mommy saying things like she couldn't say that word in his room and he demanded that she leave. She didn't. All of a sudden Leo said something that shocked them . . . "I HATE YOU!" Oh, my! Leo had done something just awful to his mommy! What on Earth could he do now?

This is a story that will resonate with every parent or caretaker. This behavior is not at all uncommon and although unacceptable, a child needs to know that he or she is loved in spite of the unfortunate incident. Each individual handles this "crisis" in his or her own way, but a book like this is comforting. The art work is colorful and brings the emotional impact of this type of incident to life. This is the perfect book for any parent or caretaker . . . especially if you have heard "those other three words!"

Why do children's book authors think it's acceptable to add to the veggie hating prevalent in young children? It may sound petty, but I've been working really hard to get my boy to eat and like veggies. I assume I am in the majority of parents trying to get or keep their kids eating healthy foods, including veggies. So, I've quickly taken several fun books back to the library for similar references to veggie hating. I don't want him finding any support for his desire to skip the green stuff on his dinner plate. So, I was completely annoyed to get this educational story with it's anti-broccoli mantra. I bought this book to try to open a discussion with my 4yo about his angry outbusts. And it seems like it would be a good beginning to help him start understanding that his words can be hurtful. But he's not going to get to read it twice, since I don't want him to hear "I hate broccoli" redundantly. That sentence is repeated 4 times in a row in this book that only has about 40 sentences total.

Dear author please change broccoli to anything else. It's a very arbitrary statement; there are no other references to broccoli. Seriously, wet socks would have substituted perfectly, who doesn't hate wet socks? And I don't think any parents really need their kids to like wet socks. But I can't substitute that myself (even though my boy can't read yet), because the illustration is of broccoli exploding all over the page.

I love this book and recommend it highly. I use it with students all the time.

The Day Leo Said I Hate You by Robie H. is about a boy who said I hate you to someone and he hated when his mom said no. After he made his mom say no and after he made his mom gasp and burn like fire and her hair stick way up high in the air. His mom came in oh no she gasped again and again. "No drawing on the walls!" while she is out she said.
The Day Leo Said I Hate You reminds me of books I read, No David! and My Rotten Red Headed Older Brother. It also reminds me of when my brother said I hate you and when he drew on the walls. This is about a story when you can't always say you hate someone when you don't hate them. So the theme of the book is to be respectful to each and one another and to be friendly. You may have to be nice no matter where you are. If you like fighting with your brother you would like this book. It has lots of detail and information. I would give it a 10 out of 10 because it reminds me of my child hood when I was small.

I work with families with a focus on children 0-5 years of age. I found this book at the library and tested it out on the kiddos and instantly knew it was a "must have."

The kids LOVE it. Children that often have a difficult time sitting still appear mesmorized by the illustrations and the story.The reading is fun, quick, identifyable, and enjoyable.

It also opens the door to exploring feelings of anger,frustration and many others, while identifying difficult responsibilitites of parents, and how they love their children unconditionally.

My new copy is already showing signs of loving wear.

Highly recommend.

Was an okay book. Seemed rather short-lived and semi~noncohesive in thought. Almost like it started with one thought, but went different directionally.