Neal, Kate Jane. Words and Your Heart. Feiwell & Friends, 2017. $16.99. ISBN 9781250168726. Unpaged. Ages 4-8. P8 Q9
The old saying, “Sticks and stone can break my bones, but words will never hurt me” may be used as a comeback to people speaking negative words towards us, but it simply is not true. Our words have power and can be used to build others up or tear them down. We can use our words to look after each other’s hearts and make the world a better place. Using black, white and red simple illustrations, Words and your Heart follows a child and cat as they dance, hug, and explore the power of words. The child and cat’s facial expressions portray their feelings accurately. Neal brings us a whimsical, but powerful message about the importance of words.
Verdict: This is one of the best books written about the power of words. Neal wrote this book in response to observing verbal bullying in school. It is powerful because it gives specific examples of kind words and hurtful words. The book ends with a challenge to make someone’s day better.
April 2018 review by Tami Harris.
Oregon Coast Youth Book Preview Center 