What hurts your feelings, and what do you do about it? Everyone’s feelings get hurt, and it’s especially painful in childhood. In this story, Bang’s popular character Sophie is hurt when the other children laugh at her and tell her she’s wrong. Sophie’s face gets hot, and tears begin to flow. Then she questions herself and the value of the choices she’s made. At issue is Sophie’s colorful, expressive painting of her favorite tree. Sophie loves it, but her picture is different from the paintings done by the other students. “”The sky isn’t orange! Trees aren’t blue! Your picture is wrong!”” they tell her. In addition to the book’s subtle art lesson (imagine the skies of Vincent van Gogh, for example), readers have the opportunity to compare and contrast all the paintings done in Sophie’s class. In the end, the students learn there are many different ways to interpret the world — and each other. Here is a simple story that tackles the common issue of hurt feelings as it gently helps us to be more kind. Ages 4-8.
© 2004
Audience: Children