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The Words Hurt: Helping Children Cope with Verbal Abuse (Let's Talk) Paperback – January 1, 1997

by Chris Loftis (Author), Catharine Gallagher (Illustrator)

3.8 36 ratings

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Physical abuse is not the only thing that scars a child. Words hurt too, and children often have no way of handling the harsh criticism of parents. In The Words Hurt, readers follow the story of Greg, whose father's problems have caused him to lash out at this son and fail to express the love he truly feels. Beautiful illustrations and a moving story provide critical support for children suffering from verbal abuse reassuring them that they are good, not bad people, and are not alone.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ New Horizon Press (January 1, 1997)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 45 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0882821326
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0882821320
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
Grade level ‏ : ‎ 3 - 4
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 4 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.75 x 0.25 x 8.5 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,289,232 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #416 in Children's Books on Abuse
- #9,355 in Children's Books on Emotions & Feelings (Books)
- #40,546 in Children's Literature (Books)

Customer Reviews:
3.8 36 ratings

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3.8 out of 5

36 global ratings

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CL

Good book for parents who get easily frustrated, Great reminder for the parents and opens the door for conversation with the kid

Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2014

Verified Purchase

I really liked this book, it helped me as a frustrated parent and my older child whom tends to get into a lot of trouble. After reading this book to her (and crying a good bit) we both agreed to try harder to be better. The illustrations are a bit odd, but I like it.

One person found this helpful

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Anna

Very helpful in talking about daddy's anger with my son

Reviewed in the United States on January 29, 2013

Verified Purchase

This book describes really well, in pictures and a compelling story, why parental anger is a big problem where a kid's temper tantrums are not. I read it with my son, and it really helped us talk about why I have had to upset his part-time father by confronting his anger issues directly.

One person found this helpful

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Josephfzoeller

Unrealistic. Disappointing. 0 stars if I could

Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2015

Verified Purchase

I wasn't able to return this because I missed the return window. I bought this for my 6yr old but after reading decided against reading it to him. I found it inappropriate. The story has a happy ending and the dad realizes his behavior and changes. I didn't feel I should be giving my child false hope. Disappointed.

11 people found this helpful

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Ashley

When Words Hurt

Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2010

Verified Purchase

This has been a helpful book to use in my clinical work with children. Verbal and emotional abuse can be difficult to label with young children, but this book offers a great story with opportunities to ask questions and explore a child's experiences and feelings.

7 people found this helpful

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PJSnickers

Disappointed

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2012

Verified Purchase

The first thing I disliked was the hideous font. It's a font I've never seen before and it is very hard on the eyes. I had trouble finishing the book because the font was giving me a headache.

I didn't care for the illustrations. I found them a little weird and creepy.

The author needs to learn proper usage of the semi colon,the ellipsis and the hyphen. And I have no idea what this word is supposed to be--"shoooh."

It tries to be written as a poem but is done so poorly that it is difficult to read it as such. I was 2/3 through the book before I even realized that the paragraphs ended with a rhyming word.

I don't like that when the angry father has been forced to realize that he needs to deal with his anger, he reflects on how his own father was cruel. This is not the case in the situation of the family of the boy that I bought this book for and I am bothered by the assumption. I am even more bothered by the happy ending that probably has a slim-to-none chance of happening with most families. Abusers rarely feel remorse and seek help just from being confronted. I'm afraid that this book will give false hope to a child and make them think that other abused children are experiencing happy endings while they, themselves, are not.

The premise of this book is good but I think it could have been much better. I bought it because it was all I could find as a book to give to a verbally abused child. What a shame that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of books to help abused adults but virtually nothing for kids.

22 people found this helpful

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erinrosebud

First the good: the writer wrote in a way that was ...

Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2017

Verified Purchase

First the good: the writer wrote in a way that was all encompassing for how anger and verbal abuse/yelling/uncontrolled anger effects a child and the people around the child. The use of words and simple poetry made me cry. Very powerful.
The reason i returned it: the descriptions and situations were too heavy for the 4 year old i had in mind; also too wordy to hold his attention. Maybe change the age suggestion to 6 and older?

4 people found this helpful

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Robyn Bartlett

The Words Hurt by Chris Loftis

Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2014

Verified Purchase

I was delighted to see how well this book captures the anger issues of a parent and how words spoken in anger affect a child. I will now purchase the other children's books by Chris Loftis.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

Good therapy addition

Reviewed in the United States on February 14, 2016

Verified Purchase

I'm a psychotherapist, and it isn't easy to find book around verbal/emotional abuse. This is a good find!

3 people found this helpful

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