Customer Reviews

Sorry!

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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.

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!

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!

I was very impressed by this book. I work with children's group therapy and I bought this becuase a lot of the children struggle with what we call "cheap sorries" or false apologies. We have been trying to teach them how to truly appologize when I found this book. The first time I read through it I found that this book not only covers the topic of "cheap sorries" but also illustrates the situation of getting into negative friendships. I recommend this book for any therapy group or family out there with young children.

Themes: Respect, Responsibility, Friendship

Content areas: Reading: making connections for comprehension; Guidance: friendship dangers, character pillars.

Authentic storyline with situations that open up multiple avenues to discuss the disingenuous behavior of the chronic apologizer. Teachers will particularly enjoy this story about a boy named Charlie who has been aided by the adults in his life, in getting away with bad behavior. Charlie has learned that as long as you say you're sorry you can get away with just about anything. Even more illustrative is Jack, the timid boy who goes along with Charlie just so he can be "cool". Jack knows better, and feels upset by his own actions; but fails to stand up to Charlie for fear of losing his perceived standing at school. In the end, both Charlie and Jack learn a lesson or two about the false apology of just saying sorry.

What makes this simple illustrative story really come together is the inclusion in the back of the book of a discussion on the ramifications of a false apology, as well as a note from the author that lays out a great way to remember the steps to a good apology, which is comprised of the "three R's: Regret, Responsibility, and Remedy". Also included is a list of questions for discussion about the book, and an "Apology Dos & Don'ts" list of reminders. Perfect for elementary school students to make connections to their own experiences, and discuss common behavior problems and their solutions.

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. Sometimes they are willing to give up their values just to have a friend.

Of course, Sorry! is a total hit with my students (I'm a school counselor), all of Trudy's books are. I like the emotional response the student's have towards Charlie (the instigator). They get seriously irritated with his lack of remorse and empathy towards others. We discuss how Charlie's apologies feel like another put down. So I use their feelings as an opportunity to talk about how an apology is a 'gift' that you give someone. Modeling the 'gift' of an apology is SO very important. Just like math, reading, and writing - kids need to practice social skills as well.

Introducing the concept of a follower gets a lot of light bulbs going off during discussion. Sometimes I worry that too many kids are followers. And they are following the wrong peers. Jack wants a friend so badly. But at what personal cost? As the story progresses, it is obvious that Jack does not agree with Charlie's behavior. Spend time talking about apologies when using this book, but also spend time talking about choosing friends.

I am a school social worker and am frequently doing character education lessons with students (grades 1-3). I have often spoken with my students about the importance of not just apologizing, but of actually MEANING it and learning from the experience (not just trying to "get off the hook"). It was great to actually find a book that tells this message! Kids remember the stories so much better than what I just tell them - I look forward to using this book.

Students listen attentively and seriously to this book. They really get it, and enjoy the tale. Told in the first person, it presents a realistic picture of a bully's accomplice, who finally decides to start doing what's right instead. The illustrations are perfect, right down to the sideways unhappy smile on the bully's face.

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 anything he wants: just say 'Sorry!'. Once again Trudy Ludwig is able to tell a story of how childhood friendships and the need to fit in can affect the way children interact with other people. She also shows the positive effect that demonstrating your sorry through actions and not just words can have.

This is a great book for children and their parents. One thing I love about Trudy Ludwig is that she tackles the relationship issues that kids face in a way that enables us to engage with our children and encourage positive behavior. Her books afford us teaching opportunities that normally might be passed up by people just saying that those are just the typical things that happen during childhood. I'm grateful for the new ways I've learned on how to communnicate with young children on these issues.

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. The book Sorry gives many examples on how the word sorry is not an excuse for negative behavior that hurts.