I sat down with my 8-year-old daughter and read The Girl Who Said Sorry. At her request, Ellie and I read it over and over. The more we read it, the more she would yell “sorry!” at the prompt. Her yells became more aggressive and confident as we went on. This book tells her what we should already know but are often not taught. No one should apologize for being themselves. I’ve tried to instill this in all three of my children, and her spunk came through while we read. No, she’s not sorry for dressing a certain way, or for eating something she enjoys. She is Ellie, and she roars.
The author has written a very important book for the young, old, and all gender identities. Stop being sorry for everything and start embracing who you are. Love yourself. A simple but powerful message written in a beautiful book. The Girl Who Said Sorry is a must read for our budding feminists. It’s also a must-read for ourselves, who continue to apologize for no reason. I’m not sorry I read this book with my daughter!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
No one has ever met a girl named Grape, and Grape has never met anyone like The Models. She is a confident, self-assured teenager who gets a verbal sucker-punch on her first day of school. Already reeling from the recent death of her father and a move to a new town, it was the last thing she expected. The Models are also the last thing she was expecting. They are ethereal to the point of suspicion and they dominate the town. Pie-eyed adults and kids alike give The Models anything they want. One of them, Mandy, decides she likes Grape, and thus the story begins. Garden gnomes litter the town and something isn’t right in the woods behind Grape’s house. The Models are getting sick and dying at an alarming rate. The adults know something but no one is talking. Why does Grape’s brother spend so much time in the woods? Is that a really dorky man trying to befriend her, or is he a vampire? Why can The Models say and do anything they want without repercussions? Wait, did that garden gnome move? It’s up to Grape and a cast of eccentric, oddball characters to right the wrongs before anyone else dies. I enjoyed every minute of this book. In the sci-fi/paranormal world of teen novels, it can get repetitive and dull. There is nothing dull in the world of Sortilege Falls! This tale is so outrageous and fun it’s like nothing I’ve read before. I’m off to buy the second book and see what Grape and her friends get into next.
Hello Bipolar 