Read, Write, Repeat.

Every family has rules.

Just ask today’s guest reviewer, Sofia. She can easily run down a list of things her parents frequently tell her to do:

• Clean your room. (“I always have clothes lying around,” she says.)
• Do your homework.
• Be nice to your brother.
• Clean up! (“It’s a lot of clothes,” she says.)

But fortunately for Sofia, her parents don’t use a little blue book written by noted etiquette expert Emily Post to help keep her in line.

That’s what happens to the children in Jennifer LaRue Huget’s debut picture book Thanks a LOT, Emily Post! (Schwartz & Wade, 2009). Their mother buys Emily’s book and starts insisting everyone follow her rules like — “No elbows on the table!” “No slumping!” “Only speak when you’re spoken to!”

The children are miserable. So they decide to turn the tables on their mother and point out all the ways she doesn’t live up to Emily’s exalted expectations. Will that be enough to make their mother lose the dreaded blue book?

Let’s ask Sofia.

Today’s guest reviewer: Sofia

Age: 7

I like: Playing four-square with the first-graders. Reading books. Going ice-skating and roller-skating. Blowing bubbles with my friends, Grace and Eva.

This book was about: A family with three kids who weren’t allowed to do fun things like talk and feed their dog. They have to follow a lot of rules from Emily Post and can’t do anything fun. Until one of the kids has a good idea.

I laughed when: The kids said, “Couldn’t … couldn’t … COULDN’T!” I always repeat that part.

Three words that best describe this book: “Emily Post.” “Friends.” “Couldn’t.” “Miserable.” That’s really four words.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: The page where everything is blue.

This book taught me: Not to be like Emily Post. She kind of overdid things.

You should read this book because: You can learn some new things about Emily Post and increase your imagination. It’s a really fun book.

Thanks, Sofia!

The book includes background information about Emily Post and the characters she invented — like Mrs. Worldly, Mrs. Toplofty, Mrs. Wellborn and The Kindharts — to help illustrate her examples of good behavior.

Jennifer also has a new picture book out called How to Clean Your Room in 10 Easy Steps. It reminds me of Delia Ephron’s How to Eat Like a Child. Here’s a review by another blogger.

If you’d like to learn more about Jennifer, who also writes health articles for the Washington Post, visit this website.

If you’d like to learn more about illustrator Alexandra Boiger, visit this website.

How do you say you’re sorry?

That’s the question at the heart of New Year at the Pier (Dial Books for Young Readers, 2009) a picture book written by April Halprin Wayland and illustrated by Stéphane Jorisch.

The book tells the tale of Izzy, a boy getting ready to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with his family. And one thing his family does each year is think about things they’ve done wrong and then apologize.

Once they’ve done that, everyone gathers at the pier tosses bread into the water. It’s a ceremony called Tashlich or “casting away.” Each piece of bread represents something they’re sorry for. Then, they can start the new year with a clean slate and an open heart.

Izzy finds that making his list is easy, but that saying sorry in person is a lot harder. But as he does, he learns everyone has things they’re sorry about — even his mom and his big sister, Miriam.

Today, Denice joins us to share her thoughts about the book.

Today’s guest reviewer: Denice.

Age: 9

I like: Jumping rope. Playing with my friends. Reading books. Going to school and going to the park.

This book was about: Two kids and the new year. They had to write four things they were sorry for, and they had to say sorry to the people who they did something to.

The best part was when: Izzy apologized to his friend, Ben, and they became friends again.

I laughed when: Izzy came up to his sister and said he was sorry for drawing on her forehead.

I was worried when: Izzy and his sister, Miriam, got mad at each other.

I was surprised that: In the end they were all happy and didn’t fight any more.

This book taught me: To say sorry whenever I do something wrong and not to to fight with my sister.

Other kids reading this book should watch for: When the brother and sister say sorry to each other.

Three words that best describe this book are: “Sorry.” “New Year.” “Fight.”

My favorite line or phrase from the book is: “Slowly, he puts up four fingers … for promising that he wouldn’t tell anyone that Ben sucks his thumb — and then telling!”

You should read this book because: It’s funny, and it teaches you some lessons about saying sorry.

Thanks, Denice!

If you want an overview of the book and the Tashlich ceremony, watch this book trailer on YouTube.

You can learn more about April Halprin Wayland on this website. Or this one. She also posts at the Teaching Authors blog with five other children’s book authors who also teach writing to children, teens and adults.

To learn more about illustrator Stéphane Jorisch, visit this website.