The Day Leo said I HATE YOU Review

PUB DATE: September 2008

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In a reassuring manner, Robie H. Harris and Molly Bang portray what happens when a little boy feels SO frustrated and SO mad at a parent who has said NO all day long. In this family book about what it feels like to say–and hear–those other three words, Harris and Bang delicately navigate the most profound bonds between a parent and a child.

MICHAEL’S THOUGHTS:
Leo is VERY tired of his mommy’s NOs (No rolling tomatoes ont he floor. No Dropping string beans int he fish bowl! No dancing on the table. No yelling MOMMY SALAMI while I’m on the phone! ) that he decides to got to his room and tells her that nobody can say no there.

Although he realizes really quickly that there’s no such thing when Mommy walks in and gasps another No to him. Leo is furious that he yells at her and tells her to go to her room for a hundred days. She tells Leo that there is times she has to say No to him. Still upset with her he yells “I HATE YOU!” He realizes what he has said and wishes he could take it back but he can’t. When his mother asks him what he said he tries to cover it up by saying he hates broccoli but she knows the difference. They talk about the words I HATE YOU and how hurtful they can be.

I think all kids can relate to this book as it shows that anger and tempers are normal. Reading this book was a great conversation piece as it explained why I say NO to Michael and he let me know in turn that its good that we say NO to him in certain cases.

Michael loved the illustrations in the book because they blended paper cutouts and photographs with lots of movement and color to liven the pictures up.

© 2009, Books Upon A Wee One's Shelf. All rights reserved.