Hurty Feelings

1. Author: Helen Lester
2. Title: Hurty Feelings
3. Illustrator: Lynn Munsinger
4. Genre: Fiction (Picture)
5. Subgenre: Emotions/Behavior
6. Theme: People do not always say nice things with a negative motive.
7. Characters: Primary - Fragility Secondary - Elephant, other hippos
8. Award/Date: None/2004
9. Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company
10. Summary: Fragility is a hippo who is well known for being tough physically, but she's extremely sensitive emotionally. People say nice things, but she always takes it the wrong way. However, after she encounters an elephant trying to eat a soccer goal, she learns not act in a silly manner like the elephant, and she simply accepts any compliments. This story can teach children not to look into every little word people say. Some children can be suspicious of a person's motive for saying something nice. Children need to learn that you need to not only be considerate of others' feelings, but also to be understanding of their actions. Just simply learn to accept compliments with a smile and say thank you.