Rosemary Wells has given us another gem–a book that entertains kids, teaches lessons and can be used with individual kids or a a classroom of kindergators! I have used this book many times already for speech therapy lessons teaching about behavior and consequences, how we react and how to solve a problem. Here is my review:
Harry makes his entrance into the kindgergators’ classroom, running backwards and knocking his classmates out of Friendly Circle. Time out in the Thinking Chair doesn’t deter Harry’s behavior as he pokes, bumps, pushes and tackles Miracle, Benjamin, Babette and Nigel with frustrating results–spilled glue, ruined projects, splattered paint, and broken glasses. Harry’s peers have had enough. They vent at an emergency session of Miss Harmony’s Friendly Circle, problem solve and vote that Harry needs to learn about personal space. Babette comes up with a brilliant solution, which allows Harry to prove to the class that he gets it. Favorite children’s author, Rosemary Wells, deals with a common kindergarten problem–kids that can’t keep their hands to themselves–in a delightfully funny manner (even the kids’ names make you chuckle) as a classroom collectively shares a problem and goes about helping a peer. I’ve used this book for many language lessons, describing behaviors, consequences, and resulting feelings, explaining the concept of personal space or answering “why?” things happened. “Hands Off, Harry!” is a wealth of language lessons for classrooms, or individual cuddle time with your kid.