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rogenecarter's review
5.0
Of the most beautifully decorated and simple illustrated books concerning Humanistic Psychology that I have ever read.
afro75's review
4.0
I loved this book. What a excellent way of having a conversation about good and bad actions. And how everyone has a seed of good in them just waiting to grow!
mrs_mazzola_reads's review
2.0
I struggled with my thoughts about this book, but have landed on "not recommended". I LOVE the representation in the book (various family groupings, racial/ethnic diversity, physical ability, etc.) and the message that there is good in the world even when it doesn't feel like it, but the book lost me in the discussion about emotions and presentation. It says "A person who is frowning and mad, or sad, or mean is like a sour grape in a bunch of sweet grapes." This completely invalidates those other feelings, creating a hierarchy with happiness as the best emotion and any other emotion is ruining something for everyone else. Sometimes those other emotions are equally essential and valid. It goes on to say "Everyone looks nicer when they smile," which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Don't tell people how they should look, particularly girls (who happen to be the characters being represented on this spread of pages). They owe you nothing. Not a smile or something that makes you more comfortable. This is dangerous messaging for kids and I will not be adding it to my collection.
sophiguana's review
1.0
Ew I'm sick of people like this author pretending they have any wisdom to share about the world when they make horrible vapid bullshit like this. This book is from 2017 and it was out of touch before the first cockroaches began crawling around on earth. It paints the world so black-n-white yet also so romanticized. It's such a sheltered, pretentious, othering, divisive perspective and it is painful: "Most people like rainbows, butterflies, and sunshine. That is good. Those people are good. But some people are bad...because they do bad things like saying cuss words and stealing. THOSE people are like moldy bananas. But if you sprinkle them with heart-shaped glitter unicorn confetti they might sometimes say sorry and change." What? This doesn't teach empathy, this doesn't teach anything!! It's insulting. It's like a superhero good vs evil fantasy world except nobody's wearing a costume or has powers. The world is way more complex than how Michael Leannah clearly believes. How can you sit here and tell me people who are having a bad day have something wrong with them, and need to be fixed immediately, because they're ruining the damn always rainbows and sunshine fantasy. No one has to be happy all the time! There's nothing wrong with feeling down. Nobody deserves to be judged so harshly for one isolated behavior. Nobody needs this book. Throw it in the trash, it belongs festering in a pile of raccoon doo. We are human beings not human doings.
gretchening's review
5.0
Tackles a tough subject - talking with young kids about horrible acts - and manages to be truthful, gentle, and kind about how most people are really at heart good. It's sad how relevant this book is these days, but I'm glad it's here for parents and kids.
spellingbat's review
3.0
I was on board with this book for much of the text, I appreciated the inclusivity of the illustrations (people representing a wide variety of races, ages, physical abilities*, family-types, living situations, lifestyles, and hobbies). One passage really jumped out at me as misleading and unfortunate in a book designed for allaying fears about "bad people": "A person who is frowning and mad, or sad, or mean is like a sour grape in a bunch of sweet grapes...Everyone looks nicer when they smile and laugh." This sounds almost like it's encouraging kids to not display anger or sadness, which are both extremely valid emotions that we need to be guided in how to deal with as opposed to just hiding it or not feeling that way. It's a small thing, but it can have big impact if kids aren't getting other validation on how to deal with negative emotions.
*The book has an elderly woman using a cane as well as a younger woman with sunglasses and an assistance dog, but there is also a throw-away line about "Most people like to run and dance and play" which indicates that's what "good" people do with no acknowledgement that plenty of "good" people have disabilities that prevent them from doing those things and it doesn't take away from their goodness. I understand the point of the book is to talk about how good people outnumber bad, but it doesn't have to reinforce unfortunate stereotypes in the bargain.
*The book has an elderly woman using a cane as well as a younger woman with sunglasses and an assistance dog, but there is also a throw-away line about "Most people like to run and dance and play" which indicates that's what "good" people do with no acknowledgement that plenty of "good" people have disabilities that prevent them from doing those things and it doesn't take away from their goodness. I understand the point of the book is to talk about how good people outnumber bad, but it doesn't have to reinforce unfortunate stereotypes in the bargain.
shayemiller's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this as a Read Aloud. Book was read by Ms. Shortt. This book might especially need to be heard at this time in our nation where everyone is questioning one another's motives and expecting the WORST. For the "most" part, people want to be helpful, they want to do the right thing, etc. Can't wait to read this one in print.
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
For more children's literature, middle grade literature, and YA literature reviews, feel free to visit my personal blog at The Miller Memo!
mmattmiller's review against another edition
2.0
I like this idea of this one, but I think it misses the mark. I like the idea of teaching kids that most people are good, but unfortunately, then the book hits some bad choices, but seems to imply that people who make a bad choice are bad people. (Yes, it says they can change, but one bad choice doesn't mean a person has to change- just means they made a poor choice.) It also implies someone who's frowning should really turn it around and smile. I might understand if it just meant grumpy people should turn it around, but a frowning or sad person could be that way for valid reasons! I teach kids it's okay to feel all emotions!
Again, I think the idea of this one was good, and I would love to see a book go deeper in that area, but this one didn't hit it in a way I would like. I wouldn't use this one with my students.
Again, I think the idea of this one was good, and I would love to see a book go deeper in that area, but this one didn't hit it in a way I would like. I wouldn't use this one with my students.