What If Everybody Said That?

The point comes across well. We can be mean or we can be nice. If we choose mean and everyone follows , what a mean world we would have. If we choose nice, oh what a great opportunity for love and peace could be unleashed.

The point comes across well. We can be mean or we can be nice. If we choose mean and everyone follows , what a mean world we would have. If we choose nice, oh what a great opportunity for love and peace could be unleashed.

This is a short, direct book, and it's great for showing what kids ought not to be saying. (Or any of the rest of us!) But, as many reviewers have said, it doesn't go far enough. There need to be examples of what ought to be said in those cases and additional examples of being kind, supportive, positive, and upbeat. This is a great start and can open conversations with kids, but as a stand-alone, it's not enough. It's a really good start, though. I'd really like to see it done again with a lot more material for positive behaviors.

Through delightful art work and excellent text the author steps children through multiple ethical dilemmas faced by children in their everyday lives. The situations include criticism, playing pranks, making new friends, and other similar occasions where a child's words or actions affect others. This is real gem of a book. It is non-judgmental and allows the child reader or listeners to reach their own answers. The best part is it not necessarily politically correct but would not be rejected by those who prefer PC books. It is a fun read and could be used by parents or teachers to trigger discussions with children.

In the book What if everybody said that I learned that you can always have as many friends you want and it doesn't have to be just the people you know.
I disliked this book because one of the kids were being really mean to the new girl who moved into the neighborhood.

I have repeated the title when my 4 year old is behaving in a less than ideal way. He seems to understand the concept that if everybody behaved in a certain way, it would "mess everything up". I give it 5 stars for introducing a useful concept. And the examples in the book are relatable.

This gem of a book couldn’t be more thoughtful, timely, or more easily digestible by kids. Delivered in a fully kid-friendly tone, these snippets of wisdom encourage healthy social connectedness from the start. These concepts, so easily delivered, will serve the now little ones well through life. They include such notions as empathy, fairness, tolerance for differences, being a team player, and much more. A great addition, likely starting at age 5.

I liked the concept, illustrations, and the message of this children’s book, I just wish the author had taken a more positive approach and counteracted each of the negative behaviors with an example of good behavior. Think about that! What if everybody did that? What if everybody focused on the good?

I have a very negative child, and we resonated a lot with the words the character used, but I would like to see a revision where each negative comment was met not only with “what if everyone said that?” but with a positive alternative. What could they have said? Having only one example at the very end and no real “light bulb” moment for the character, left us feeling very anti-climactic.
Cute illustrations and relatable theme!

I completely understand the lesson the author is trying to teach primary grade students. It is a valuable lesson. But the first page does not take into account the way her story could be interpreted by these young students.

She begins with a girl who is asked if others can play with her responds with,”No boys allowed.” To the question, “What if everybody said that?” Examples are given, “no freckles allowed,” “no climbing for girls,” and “no big kids.”

Younger children might not understand that there are valid reasons to discriminate and instead feel that they should be allowed to do anything they want.

There are reasons some playgrounds do not allow “big” kids to play there. A safe place for little ones might be made dangerous by older, bigger kids who are faster and more agile. There is a reason for “baby pools” to not allow “big” kids to splash in them.

There are times and places where it is perfectly appropriate to say, “No boys allowed,” or “No girls allowed.” Usually, these occur when privacy is required or some sensitive subject needs to be addressed, and not at playtime, but there are such times and primary children may not be mature enough to understand the difference.

The message of the story is good, I imagine it would help kids see how important their words are. For me, as a preschool teacher, I would never read this book to a child. The pictures are horrible. In each one the adult is yelling at the child, or upset. Where is the love? Where is the compassion? Where is the adult teaching the child?

I expected a little more from the writer. I think after "what if everybody said thst" a good or better example should have been shown. This way the children are seeing proper or better responses for each situation. For me, it was a good start simple needs more good enforcement.

This is the kind of book we need in today's society. People are so quick to pass judgment on each other and they don't keep it to themselves. Let's spread the message of love and acceptance to all and teach our children, especially to do so. This book has cute illustrations and a simple but profound message!

It is truly unfortunate that, in these divisive times, moreso than in the past, we seem to be searching for messages to share with our children...in my case, grandchildren...to ensure they better understand how words can hurt people's feelings or come out sounding very negative. This book does it nicely, as a follow up to What If Everybody Did That? I agree with one of the other comments, however, that there could be more positivity at the end of the story to pull it all together. But it does make for great discussion with children as examples are sited. I used it in a classroom, reading to 2nd graders and got A LOT of dialogue from reading it to a group! Definitely recommend it this book!