Somebody Called Me a Retard Today-- And My Heart Felt Sad [Library Binding]

Ellen O'Shaughnessy (Author), David Garner (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

A girl expresses her sadness at being called a "retard" by people who do not know how loving and self-reliant she is.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

O'Shaughnessy, trained to teach the mentally disabled, offers a well-intentioned but disingenuous story about how a girl feels when taunted with the label "retard." Readers are never told what her problem actually is--rather, she is presented as just like everybody else: "I have friends. . . . I work hard in school. . . . I do my very best." Naturalistic art might have conveyed the narrator's special situation, but Garner's stylized watercolors--spare figures against white backgrounds--fail to suggest her uniqueness. It's hard to imagine children willing to pretend there are no differences between the "normal" and the mentally disabled; asking them to do so seems a curious way to foster empathy. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1-- The opening text reads, `` `When somebody called me a ``retard'' today. . . I cried.' '' The cartoonlike child is cheered up when her father reminds her of the ways in which she is like other boys and girls: having friends, doing chores, loving animals, winning races, and having feelings. The illustrations are simple, brightly colored, and add dimension to the text. Such statements as `` `I take care of Cecil' '' take on real meaning with the accompanying picture that shows the child parading proudly, carrying an overflowing dish complete with saucer to a very fat, contented-looking cat. The book's didacticism, however, gets in the way of its message. Beginning with the cover, a preachy tone is set. There is nothing to help youngsters empathize with a retarded child who is being ridiculed. The girl's abilities are presented in a defensive manner, rather than through a subtle unfolding of plot. There are no characters who change and grow, and there's no story line to catch and hold the attention of young listeners. It is doubtful that children will find the book convincing or reassuring. --Constance A. Mellon, Department of Library & Information Studies, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Walker & Company (October 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802781977
• ISBN-13: 978-0802781970
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 6.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,510,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very touching book about a child with disabilities, February 20, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Somebody Called Me a Retard Today-- And My Heart Felt Sad (Library Binding)

This book is for anyone (with or without disabilities) who has ever been hurt by someone else's unkind words. The message can be easily understood by children and adults of all ages. I highly recommend this book to all educators to keep on their shelf at school. It may come in handy when hurtful words are used in the classroom.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book to teach compassion to younger children!, February 1, 2000

By 

Heather (Spencerport, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Somebody Called Me a Retard Today-- And My Heart Felt Sad (Hardcover)

As a teacher of both disabled and nondisabled children, I have often read this book to my students. It quite simply demonstrates how someone can be hurt by someone else's comments. Anyone can empathize, whether you are disabled or not. This book is terrific!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for any child., January 31, 2006

By 

TheChad (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Somebody Called Me a Retard Today-- And My Heart Felt Sad (Library Binding)

Initially I'll admit I was a little sceptical as to the motives of this book, and I also thought the name to be a bit humerous. However, once you get over the initial judgements, this isn't a bad book.

I should also debunk an editor review above this by pointing out that one does not need to know the illness, and it's absurd to expect things such as character development and complex storyline in a childs book, much less for a child to understand it. This book is about morals, it doesn't need to be over complex.

I'd reccomend this to any parent or teacher of young children. Even though some children cannot relate to this exact example, most will find the connection to it and realize that words can hurt. I especially like the line in the title, which can truly touch a child, 'And my heart felt sad.'