Please Is a Good Word to Say

by Barbara M. Joosse

Book Overview

Please is a good word to say. It puts a smile on your words. And that's not the only advice curly-burly-haired Harriet has for you. Asking, taking, interrupting, eating, answering the phone-if there's a nice way to do it, Harriet can tell you just how to do it. Jennifer Plecas' infectious illustrations bring Barbara Joosse's hilarious heroine to life in this offbeat and adorable approach to manners. Kids will be (very politely) clamouring to hear...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0399242171
• ISBN13: 9780399242175
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Philomel Books
• Length: 40 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 8.8" x 8.2"
• Age Range: 2 years and up
• Grade Range: Preschool and higher

Customer Reviews

Charming, quirky Harriet will teach your children!

Brilliantly written--gets in good with (ornery) kids and (their expasperated) parents. Main character Harriet is ornery and speaks in adorable child-like syntax which is hand-printed in twirls around the illustrations rather than the typical rows of font. I can't say enough good about this book. It does, however, say the word "butt" once, which can easily be censored if you want.

Precious and great for older preschoolers

My 5 year old daughter received this book for Christmas this year. While we've made sure to stress good manners as she's grown up, like most kids, she has gotten to a point where it's just not "fun" to hear about it from Mom and Dad anymore. This book is adorable and makes good manners fun again! Written in a way that older preschoolers / early elementary school aged students can truly appreciate it is a gentle and often hilarious reminder of what we really should do every day. In fact, I know a few adults who could use it! My daughter loves to read this book out loud. It's one of our new favorites!

I bought extra to give as gifts

We found this book for my 6 y/o daughter, who loves reading it b/c it is funny. we love it b/c it teaches some good lessons and it is from the perspective of another kid, so that makes it even more fun for others to read it. The author has a unique and silly way of writing to keep the reader interested.

Harriet Talks

Somebody asked me, "Harriet, it's very nice to write a book about manners. I mean, everybody needs them, right?" "Yes," I said. "Adults, too." "But aren't manners kind of . . . boring?" "NO!" I said. "Manners are like maraschino cherries. They make everything taste better." * And it's true, isn't it? My new curly-burly haired, fashion-forward heroine, Harriet, is fizzy and fun. She knows that the Number One Rule about manners is . . . kindness. She's learned a lot about manners over her not-so-many years, and now she'd love to pass along her personal advice to children (and adults) in your home and classroom. Barbara Joosse and Harriet

Kids will love this--and learn, too

Some words, like please and thank you, you can use to put a smile and a hug in what you say. Other words you can say can make people sad. Words can be used to make others feel better and words that should only be used if you really mean it. And sometimes it is best to just not say anything. Harriet knows these things and she wants to tell your kids all about them. Barbara Joosse has written another great picture book, this time teaching manners--but not in the stuffy old way. She puts a unique spin on words (imagine that!) so that kids don't even know they're learning. They're just hearing a cute story in which Harriet talks about double-dipping a phone hello. In Please is a Good Word to Say Joosse has accomplished her goal of teaching one rule that really matters: Kindness. And as she does in her prior works like Hot City, and Nikolai, the Only Bear, she shows not only how we are different, but how we are the same. And, as usual, Jennifer Plecas has artfully illustrated another book in a manner that kids love. Simple. Tasteful. Lively. The wonderful combination of story and illustration will have kids pulling this one off the shelves time and time again.