Jack's friend Charlie seems to know how to get away with just about anything. Adults always back down when you say you're sorry. But does an apology count if you don't really mean it? Jack learns that the path to forgiveness isn't always the easiest. Includes afterword by apology-expert Dr. Aaron Lazare, M.D., note from author, and discussion questions.
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5–Ludwig continues to tackle serious subjects in this follow-up to My Secret Bully (River Wood, 2003) and Just Kidding (Tricycle, 2006). Here she deals with the insincere apology. Jack's friend Charlie behaves badly all the time and gets away with it by saying he's sorry even though he clearly isn't. Jack doesn't like this about Charlie, but he does like how being the boy's friend makes him a somebody. Then Charlie damages Leena's science-fair project, and she tells him that Sorry doesn't cut it! A teacher helps him understand that he has to make amends for the hurt and damage he has caused. With Jack's help, he fixes the project. In the end, Jack chooses Leena's company over Charlie's. An afterword on the importance of apology, an author's note, discussion questions, and Apology Dos & Don'ts are appended. The text is stilted and lacks an authentic age-appropriate voice. Manning's digital pastel-and-watercolor illustrations effectively capture the characters' myriad emotions and provide valuable support to the text. Purchase this title as need dictates.–Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
"Trudy Ludwig's books beat with the authentic hearts of real children." -Stan Davis, author of Schools Where Everyone Belongs
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Ms. Ludwig is a genius. No two ways about it.
In addition to JUST KIDDING, MY SECRET BULLY and now SORRY, she has shown her insights into the dynamics of bullying and harassing behavior.
Jack, a tween in the early grades feels that his identity is enhanced by being friends with Charlie. An aggressive, biffy sort, Charlie exacts cruelties on others and tosses off a casual "sorry." Many let him skate by with his insincere apologies.
Jack resents this, but does not feel he can challenge Charlie on this. A girl named Leena is the recipient of one of Charlie's more cruel pranks. When he destroys her science project, she tells him in no uncertain terms that she does not buy his insincere apology. Jack, touched by genuine remorse helps Leena rebuild her project.
Their teacher wisely intervenes and explains to Charlie what he has to do to make reparations and amends. Saying "sorry" is simply a formality; one has to be truly remorseful and willing to extend themselves to help the other person in order for it to be meaningful. Charlie sees the consequences of his behavior when Jack jumps his ship and forms an alliance with Leena and the other kids.
I love this book and want to add the following thought - I think it is not a good idea for people to coerce children into apologizing. The lesson that teaches is "appease the adult in question; avoid getting into further trouble by saying what the adult in question wants to hear." I have always resented this; as a child, I hated being forced to apologize and remember consciously thinking, "I'm lying if I apologize, but I'll say it so I don't get punished more." This book explores this; forced apologies teach children to "appease;" "to go along with a system" and is often viewed as an indignity and a price to pay to avoid further repercussions. This book does a good job of uncovering that.
In addition to JUST KIDDING, MY SECRET BULLY and now SORRY, she has shown her insights into the dynamics of bullying and harassing behavior.
Jack, a tween in the early grades feels that his identity is enhanced by being friends with Charlie. An aggressive, biffy sort, Charlie exacts cruelties on others and tosses off a casual "sorry." Many let him skate by with his insincere apologies.
Jack resents this, but does not feel he can challenge Charlie on this. A girl named Leena is the recipient of one of Charlie's more cruel pranks. When he destroys her science project, she tells him in no uncertain terms that she does not buy his insincere apology. Jack, touched by genuine remorse helps Leena rebuild her project.
Their teacher wisely intervenes and explains to Charlie what he has to do to make reparations and amends. Saying "sorry" is simply a formality; one has to be truly remorseful and willing to extend themselves to help the other person in order for it to be meaningful. Charlie sees the consequences of his behavior when Jack jumps his ship and forms an alliance with Leena and the other kids.
I love this book and want to add the following thought - I think it is not a good idea for people to coerce children into apologizing. The lesson that teaches is "appease the adult in question; avoid getting into further trouble by saying what the adult in question wants to hear." I have always resented this; as a child, I hated being forced to apologize and remember consciously thinking, "I'm lying if I apologize, but I'll say it so I don't get punished more." This book explores this; forced apologies teach children to "appease;" "to go along with a system" and is often viewed as an indignity and a price to pay to avoid further repercussions. This book does a good job of uncovering that.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Hurrah! Sorry! is a wonderful book to help parents and children deal effectively with the child whose behavior is not consistent with being or saying they're sorry.
We all know children (perhaps even some adults) who seem to get away with inappropriate behavior because they use the magic phrase "I'm sorry" all of the time. The problem is, they really aren't sorry and often you're able to discern this at the very moment the phrase is being used.
Jack's friend Charlie is a kid who thinks he can do almost anything and get away with it as long as he says he's sorry. He's even got Jack following his lead. The problem is, Jack is uncomfortable with his own behavior. When Charlie, accompanied by Jack, ruins a girl's science project, Jack learns that sometimes saying "I'm sorry" is not enough.
Sorry! is for children age 5 to 8 (and probably older) and will help children understand the value and seriousness of an apology. The "Afterword" is a must read as it explains how some apologies heal while other hurt. It offers a four-part apology explanation and discusses the purpose of an apology. It can be the beginning of informative and instructive conversations about apologies. The book also includes discussion questions and Apology Dos and Don'ts.
Armchair Interviews says: A must read!
We all know children (perhaps even some adults) who seem to get away with inappropriate behavior because they use the magic phrase "I'm sorry" all of the time. The problem is, they really aren't sorry and often you're able to discern this at the very moment the phrase is being used.
Jack's friend Charlie is a kid who thinks he can do almost anything and get away with it as long as he says he's sorry. He's even got Jack following his lead. The problem is, Jack is uncomfortable with his own behavior. When Charlie, accompanied by Jack, ruins a girl's science project, Jack learns that sometimes saying "I'm sorry" is not enough.
Sorry! is for children age 5 to 8 (and probably older) and will help children understand the value and seriousness of an apology. The "Afterword" is a must read as it explains how some apologies heal while other hurt. It offers a four-part apology explanation and discusses the purpose of an apology. It can be the beginning of informative and instructive conversations about apologies. The book also includes discussion questions and Apology Dos and Don'ts.
Armchair Interviews says: A must read!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Trudy Ludwig's books are all wonderful supplements to my classroom guidance lessons, especially in grades 3-5. As an elementary school counselor, I love reading books to students which reinforce concepts and skills that have been taught. I found Sorry! to be a perfect story for 3rd graders. It fits well with discussions about how acquaintances of bullies, or "bystanders," can make a positive difference in bullying situations. The message is also very clear that insincere apologies do more harm than good. Kudos to Trudy!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Helpful in teaching kids how to respond to subtle teasing or...
It is never too early to teach your kids how to respond when confronted with teasing. Just because someone says "sorry" doesn't mean that their behavior should be excused.
Published 3 days ago by Sophia F. McNeil
4.0 out of 5 stars
Book Read
We reviewed this book for a parent-child book read. It was very good but we decided to go with "Confessions of a Former Bully" by the same author.
Published 2 months ago by STCS
5.0 out of 5 stars
All Apologies
Jack was a nobody before he met Charlie. After Jack met Charlie, he had friends and social status at school. But, Jack paid a price for his new found social status. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Dirk Alsdorf
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sincerity
This is a wonderful tale about the importance of personal accountability. The story is about a boy named Jack who's friend Charlie gives him the secret to getting away with doing... Read more
Published 15 months ago by AG42
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sorry
Trudy Ludwig provides real life issues in her books. Children can identify with individuals they know or even themselves in the characters. All her books teach about bullying. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Teacher Sunshine
5.0 out of 5 stars
The kids are giving it 5 stars
The story is helpful for teaching children (and adults) about the importance of an effective apology. Read more
Published 19 months ago by curiousminds
5.0 out of 5 stars
The False Apology & What We Need to Know
Themes: Respect, Responsibility, Friendship
Content areas: Reading: making connections for comprehension; Guidance: friendship dangers, character pillars. Read more
Content areas: Reading: making connections for comprehension; Guidance: friendship dangers, character pillars. Read more
Published 21 months ago by VReviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review from Books That Heal Kids
This book is about learning to take ownership of one's actions and apologizing the right way, but also about trying to fit in. Kids are looking for acceptance and belonging. Read more
Published on March 31, 2010 by Books That Heal Kids
5.0 out of 5 stars
Get tool for teaching kids values
Used this in during student teaching..... it was perfect for addressing the behavior issues with that group of students. Stirred up some wonderful conversation... Read more
Published on February 24, 2010 by Silver Sprite
5.0 out of 5 stars
Useful for elementary "guidance" lesson
As an elementary school counselor, I have used this in the classroom to supplement a guidance lesson on verbal bullying. Read more
Published on January 30, 2010 by KeithsKatch
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