Be Polite and Kind (Learning To Get Along) [Paperback]

Cheri J. Meiners (Author), Meredith Johnson (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Learning To Get Along

When children are kind, courteous, and respectful, people enjoy being around them and reciprocate with the same behavior.

This book helps kids understand the importance of showing politeness, speaking kindly, using basic courtesies (“please,” “thank you,” “excuse me”), and respecting the feelings of others.

Scenarios and role-play activities help adults reinforce the book’s lessons.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Reviewed with Cheri J. Meiners' Join In and Play.

PreS-Gr. 1. Tailor-made for children struggling to master certain life skills, these colorful picture books spotlight behaviors that help kids get along with others. Each title shows children at home and in the classroom. In polite, a boy talks about showing others through his words and actions that they are important to him. He concludes with "I want others to treat me with respect, so that's how I treat them." In Join In, a girl explains what she does and says when she wants to play with someone. The narrative maintains an even tone, giving options when things don't work out as expected and emphasizing the importance of talking and listening with respect as well as playing fair. With expressive drawings of children and adults from many ethnic groups, the illustrations show up clearly from a distance. Each book ends with four pages of ideas that parents and teachers can use to reinforce the concepts. Like the other sturdy paperbacks in the Learning to Get Along series, these will fill a demand for simple, straightforward books promoting social skills and attitudes helpful to preschool and primary-grade children. Carolyn Phelan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"Useful resources for parents, teachers, and counselors." —School Library Journal

"Fills a demand for simple, straightforward books promoting social skills and attitudes helpful to preschool and primary-grade children." —Booklist

Learning Magazine's Teacher's Choice Award Finalist

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Free Spirit Publishing (December 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575421518
• ISBN-13: 978-1575421513
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,499 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Manners

More About the Author

Cheri J. Meiners, M.Ed. was born in Logan, Utah, and lives in Maryland with her husband David. They have six children and one grandchild.

The 'Learning to Get Along' series of 15 books (and one software product) evolved from books that Cheri wrote for her own children. In 2008, Reach Out and Give won the Carol D. Reiser children's book award for promoting volunteerism. The series was also a finalist in 2006 for Learning Magazine's Teacher's Choice Award. In 2005, Booklist named the books 'Top 5 Character Education Series'. Several of the books are currently translated into Portuguese, Arabic, Korean, Slovak and Indonesian and Greek.

Her education included studying art in London, studying Swedish history and culture at Stockholm University, student teaching on a Ute Indian reservation in Utah, and graduating with High Honors in Elementary Education from Brigham Young University. She also volunteered as a missionary in Italy for a year and a half and later taught first graders in Idaho. She earned her masters degree in Elementary and Gifted Education at Utah State University, where she also taught classes and supervised student teachers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book (and series!) that teaches without preaching. Added bonus: helpful for ASD children., March 21, 2008

By 

Shashi (Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Be Polite and Kind (Learning To Get Along) (Paperback)

We own almost all the books in Cheri Meiners series. This particular one simply and beautifully illustrates the aplication of everyday manners through different scenarios that will be interesting and often familiar to most children. It supports, through example, the work that parents do at home teaching children everyday manners.

However, an added (and perhaps hidden) bonus of this and many if not all of the books in the series will interest parents of children on the autism spectrum. This and many of the other titles have opened a window to the kind of knowledge that simply does not come naturally to my daughter with high functioning autism. This title and others in the series (in particular Share and Take Turns, Listen and Learn, and Understand and Care) provide a framework for understanding social interactions and rules that is warm, supportive, loving, inclusive, natural, and most importantly, instructive.

I have watched how the lessons contained within them seamlessly flow into her daily conversation and life ("May I please have some Cheddar Bunnies, Mommy?" - this after a couple of readings of "Be Polite and Kind"). I know they have helped her think through the kinds of things that do not come naturally to her and equally importantly, give her the language framework to apply them. I highly recommend these books not just for children on the spectrum but for any parent or even teacher who is looking for an entertaining, non-preachy way to expand upon lessons on good social behavior or more simply, per the title of the series, is interested in helping their child learn "how to get along".

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Books for Character Building and Emotional Development, September 13, 2007

By 

Leigh Serrie (Southeast U.S.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Be Polite and Kind (Learning To Get Along) (Paperback)

I love all the books in this series. I am introducing these to my 4-year-old son who just started pre-school, and we are working on how he expresses fear/anger/sadness as well as manners. I have looked at quite a few options and like this series the best. This book introduces the topic of manners, shows examples of manners in actions, as well as the benefits of being gracious. Also, Meiners balances this with what happens when we do not use good manners and how we can make amends.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, excellent series, January 25, 2007

By 

Triplet mom (Florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Be Polite and Kind (Learning To Get Along) (Paperback)

I highly recommend this and all the other books from this series. The concepts are simply stated and are dealt with in a variety of ways. It encourages kids to think through things themselves. The artwork is delightful. The books are short enough to hold their attention. The kids love all the books we have in this series, and you can find just about any topic you are needing help with.