I'm Sorry » (Reprint)

Sam McBratney has been writing children's books for nearly thirty years. His bestselling book Guess How Much I Love You, illustrated by Anita Jeram, has sold more than 16 million copies worldwide and continues to sell a million copies a year. He lives outside of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

From the bestselling author of GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU comes a warm, evocative picture book about best friends who sometimes fight. With exquisite illustrations by Jennifer Eachus, this is a tribute to the power of the words, "I'm sorry."

Children's Literature

Soft pastel colors illustrate this tale of friendship and a falling-out between two preschoolers. The little boy tells the story of his "friend I love the best," with whom he plays and laughs. The pictures show all the things they do together. Then he turns angry. "I SHOUTED at my friend today, / and she SHOUTED back at me." The children are angry, and they are sad, but after a time apart thinking things over, they tell each other, "I'm sorry." There's a rather nice tension here, especially in the angry scenes, between the soft sweetness of the art style and the anger and sadness on the children's faces and in their postures. Seldom is such intense emotion in young children shown in picture book illustrations. Both words and illustrations will undoubtedly strike a chord with preschoolers, as well as their teachers and parents, making this a good choice of a story to help get through difficult times. 2000, HarperCollins, $15.95. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Linnea Hendrickson