Oops! Excuse Me! Please!: And Other Mannerly Tales

I wasn't expecting great things from this book, most children's manners books aren't too whoopty. But my kids *choose* this book out of the whole pile, and they tell me the stories -- they relate what is happening in the picture and tell me what is right. I have been pleasantly surprised. I think the pictures are what instructs the kids so well. I like that the book is not a collection of "shoulds" or "nevers" -- the text is very gentle and positive. For example, "Luke knows it's a big help to..." or "Ian remembers to ask..." My previous favorite manners book had been Richard Scarry, but I think this one is even better. (My kids are three and five)

Oops! Excuse Me! Please!: And Other Mannerly Tales This is a great book to sit and read at the table. It offers preschoolers the opportunity to talk about their day and things that might have happened that they did or didn't like. It gives real life examples of situations children have to deal with and offers reasonable tools for them to use on the preschool level.

Rather than discourage bad manners, this book encourages GOOD manners, thus reinforcing good behavior. It provides parents with the opportunity to discuss appropriate (and polite) behavior in various situations that children encounter at home and in public. It's a book that is sized for small hands, so children can hold it themselves and read it over and over again with Mom or Dad (or by themselves). It can be memorized by younger children (4-5) and read by older ones (6-8). Excellent and affordable, every family should read this book together.