Martha Doesn't Say Sorry

	Martha Doesn’t Say Sorry By: Samantha Berger
Topics Discussed in Book  Apologizing for actions that are unkind to others (saying sorry)  Being kind and hurtful to others   Manners
Book Summary Martha is an otter who does both kind and mischievous acts towards her friends, but she does not say she is sorry.  When Martha realizes that people who she hurts do not want to play with her until she says she’s sorry, she decides to reconsider.
Useful Questions Why do we say sorry? When do we say sorry? What are some of the actions Martha does that she should apologize for? Can you think of a time when you needed to say sorry but did not?  What happened? Can you think of a time when you needed to say sorry and did?  What happened?  Can you think of a time when someone needed to say sorry to you but did not?  How did that make you feel?  What are the different ways that you can apologize?
Activities Activities from publisher’s website (attached):  comprehension worksheet, matching of actions to responses worksheet, maze worksheet and good manner name tags. Have students write their own story about a character that has to say sorry.
Helpful Websites Publisher's Website

Heartprints

	Heartprints By: P. K. Hallinan
Topics Discussed in Book Being kind to others  Random acts of kindness
Book Summary A heartprint is “the impression left behind by a deliberate act of kindness."  This book shows different ways someone can make a heartprint for others through simple acts of kindness, such as smiling to others on the street or cheering on a teammate.
Useful Questions What is a heartprint? What are some examples of heartprints used in the book? What do you do to leave a heartprint? What has someone else done to leave a heartprint on you? How can we remember to leave heartprints on others?
Activities Send heartprints to classmates: Have students make mailboxes out of brown lunch bags.  With little pieces of paper, allow students to write heartprint notes to their friends and deliver them to their friend’s mailboxes.  Reflect on past heartprints: Have students reflect on the heartprints they have left on others in the past.  Each student can write a paragraph about these heart prints. Set goals: Have the students set and record in a journal some heartprint goals they would like to make in the future.  Have them check back on their goals each week.
Helpful Websites Random Acts of Kindness Dr. Thomas J. Curran Early Childhood Education

Introduction

This resource is a compilation of children’s books that address friendship for kindergartners and first graders although they could be used for younger or older students.  I searched for the books on the lists of suggested books on friendship prepared by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAECY) and the Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (SCEFEL).  After searching the Harvard Reading Lab, Boston Public Library, Cambridge Public Library, COOP and the public libraries in Bergen County, New Jersey (the county which includes my hometown), I was able to collect some of the books on the lists.   (Most of the books on the lists are not easily available, if at all.)  After reading the books, I chose for this resource only those books that meet the needs of the kindergarten and first grade teachers at my site.  While the books in this resource cover many aspects of friendship, the books chosen have two main themes: (i) becoming a caring and kind friend and (ii) being friends with those who are different from you. 

This resource is organized by the theme of the book.  That is, books focused on becoming a caring and kind friend are together while books focused on being friends with those who are different are also together.  Each entry includes the name of the book, the author, a brief list of topics discussed in the book, a brief synopsis of the book, suggested questions to raise with students, and suggested activities to expand the ideas contained in the book.