Read, Write, Repeat.

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.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so it’s the perfect time to curl up with a child you like and read Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules (Albert Whitman & Company, 2009).

That’s just what I did with an awesome class of second-graders. The book is a great, multicultural look at what makes Thanksgiving the same — and different — for various families. It features Tuyet, a Vietnamese girl, who worries her family’s Thanksgiving celebration is wrong.

After I was done, Denice volunteered to review the book for Read, Write, Repeat. Here’s what she had to say:

Reviewer: Denice, age 8

I like: Drawing pictures, reading books, jumping rope and playing with my friend, Sonia.

This book was about: A girl whose mom tells her that they are going to eat duck on Thanksgiving. But the girl’s teacher calls Thanksgiving “Turkey Day.”  Then, the girl’s grandma comes, and they go to the market. They see a lot of food, but they don’t see a turkey.

I was worried when: She said her family ate duck for Thanksgiving, and all the kids in her class were quiet.

I was surprised when: All the kids in her class ate different things for Thanksgiving.

The best part was when: She told her mom that their Thanksgiving could be called Duck Day instead of Turkey Day.

The book taught me: When it’s a holiday, we don’t have to do the same things to celebrate. We can do different things.

Three words that best describe this book are: Thanksgiving, turkey and duck.

Other kids reading this book should know: Thanksgiving isn’t just eating turkey. You can eat all sorts of things.

My favorite line or phrase in the book is: “After school, Tuyet hurried home. “Mama!” she called when she opened the door. “I have a new name for Thanksgiving. In our house, we can call it Duck Day!”

Want to see more of the book? Check out the book trailer on YouTube. Or visit Jacqueline Jules’ Web site. She’s got information on her many other books and lots of fun stuff.

To learn more about Kathryn Mitter’s artwork, check out this site.

Oh, and enjoy your Thanksgiving — no matter what you eat!