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Reviewed by Carma Dutra, Picture Book Reviewer for the National Writing for Children Center
Title: Hurty Feelings
Author: Helen Lester
Illustrator: Lynn Munsinger
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardback: 32 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books; 1 edition (March 26, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0618840621
ISBN-13: 978-0618840625
An emotionally fragile hippo named Fragility and a rude elephant named Rudy will delight children from ages four to eight. Fragility is over sensitive and Rudy is overly rude. Author Helen Lester begins her humorous tale with Fragility was a solid piece of work. When she walked her world wobbled.
Fragility is very happy in her own world, she has strong jaws that could munch grass faster than any lawn mower, she never cries when she stubs one of her toes or all sixteen. However, something did bother Fragility and it was injured feelings. When her friends would give her a compliment like “Fragility, you have such cute little ears,” she would wail, “You hurt my feeeeelings! Cute little ears? Do you know what else has cute little ears? People have cute little ears. So you think I resemble a people?” Flop. Weep.
Fragility’s drama-queen flopping and weeping became a regular routine until she became lonely. No one could talk to Fragility without making her cry. One day Rudy, the neighborhood bully, tries to intimidate Fragility as she protects the goal in the soccer match. “Step aside, Big Solid Thing!” Rudy bellowed at Fragility. “You’re blocking me lunch.”
Fragility comes through with shining colors. She learns to be strong on the inside and finds her confidence. She even teaches Rudy a thing or two by learning to like her self and accepting compliments. This is a great read-aloud book and the funny, expressive water color illustrations bring out the characters zany personalities. Children will want to read this story again and again.
About the Author: Helen Lester is the author of sixteen children’s books. Her background with children includes being a mother of two and a former elementary school teacher of ten years. While at home with her children, Helen realized the importance of quality children’s literature. Helen started her writing career as a struggling author facing many rejections by publishing companies. Her first book was finally published in 1979.
About the Illustrator: Lynn Munsinger was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She attended Tufts University and graduated in 1974. The following year she enrolled at the Rhode Island School of Design, majoring in illustration.
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Carma Dutra is a freelance writer and children’s writer. Learn more about children’s writing tips and reviews of award winning books visiting Carma’s Window. Download the free EBooks, Tips for Children’s Writers and Illustrators, and Unite to Write, a compilation of thirteen top expert authors as read on Ezine article directory.