When I finished reading the book, I was still smiling. It's just simply lovely. I can't wait to read it to my little nieces and nephews!
Here is the release, and every word of it is true. I know. I've got the book on my lap as I type!
The moment those dreaded words - "I hate you! - pop out of a young child's mouth, almost every child wishes they had never been said. In The Day Leo Said, "I Hate You!" (Little, Brown), now available in paperback, renowned author Robie H. Harris shows how strong but perfectly normal feelings like anger and frustration can lead to such outburst, and how one child and his mother successfully deal with those feelings and ultimately reaffirm their love for each other. In a few short pages and in a caring and reassuring manner, Harris and three-time Caldecott Honor illustrator Milly Bang convey some big emotional truths about the inner lives of young children.
Leo hates it when Mommy says "No," and today it feels like she just won't stop saying it. "No string beans in the fish bowl!" "No toothpaste down the toilet!" "No drawing on the wall!" Leo is angry and frustrated. But when the words "I hate you!" pop out of his mouth, he instantly wishes he could stuff them back in. Then his biggest fear sets in: Will Mommy hate him for saying those three words?
But the mother in The Day Leo Said, "I Hate You!" handles the moment beautifully, explaining to Leo that while words have the power to hurt others, she never stops loving him, even when he expresses strong, angry feelings. It's a powerful lesson about empathy and love, one that affirms Leo's inner experience and leads him - and the book's audience, young children - toward greater emotional understanding. Once Leo's anger is acknowledged and dealt with, he can bond with Mommy over their hatred of broccoli, smelly cheese, and runny noses and, in a sweetly satisfying ending, Leo draws a loving picture of his mommy.
The Day Leo Said "I Hate You" pairs Harris for the first time with Molly Bang, whose rich, saturated colors and expressive figures add depth and emotional resonance to a story that readers will find both entertaining and comforting. The book received starred reviews in Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal, which praised "Harris' wisdom and sense of humor regarding early childhood behavior," wile Kirkus wrote that "Harris' patient take on a difficult topic will make this must-have reading for many a parent and child."
Robie H. Harris is known for portraying the emotional lives of young children with wisdom, honesty, and humor. A master at expressing complex human emotions in simple scenarios with simple language and a compelling story, Harris helps young children and their parents understand and deal with those strong, but perfectly normal feelings like anger, frustration, and jealousy. By creating characters who not only express, but also move through these feelings, Harris' candid, insightful- and at moments humorous - stories ultimately reaffirm the importance of love and acceptance in human relationships, especially those of young children and their parents.
The Day Leo Said, "I Hate You"
Written by Robie H. Harris
Illustrated by Molly Bang
Published by Little, Brown
November 2010
Ages 3-6 - 32 pages
$6.99 Paperback
ISBN: 978-0-08350-8
I want to add something else: this book was, of course, written with very young children in mind, to soothe them when they utter words of hate and frustration that hurt someone else. However, very often, a young parent will find comfort in a book such as this, just as much as their child will.
