Please is a Good Word to Say
barbara-joosse
Paperback
(Scholastic, March 15, 2007)
This small etiquette primer is narrated by a little girl with wild curly hair, a tutu, and cowboy boots, who will make the basics of "please," "thank you," and "I'm sorry" seem inviting to children. The words and pictures have a subversive undercurrent. No Pollyanna, this little girl tries to rip another girl's tutu right off, smears nail polish on someone who won't share, and then uses manners to make amends or get out of trouble. The ink-and-watercolor illustrations add zest to the lessons. Each double-page spread contains a bit of advice in a cartoon balloon and then spices it up with examples, which are often comical: the "excuse me" section covers gross bodily sounds, for example. A hilarious read-together filled with good advice. Fletcher, Connie