Bella's Rules by Elissa Haden Guest

What are your family's rules? We have a few that I am adamant about...be kinder than necessary, keep your room picked up and please no food in the family room (I hate stains on the carpet).  I think everyone has rules that are particularly important to each of us. And others that we let go of or get tired of reminding the family about because they just don't stick! Well, in this story you will meet Bella, who knows the family rules by heart but likes her own better!

Bella's parents help her understand why her rules don't work after she challenges her sitter. And later Bella begins to understand even more deeply the need for rules when she is gifted a new puppy. The ending helps us understand that rules are important but we all slip away from them sometime.

I can't wait to use this book in the classroom when we begin to talk about how we will take care of one another each day. It will allow us to have a real conversation about how we all mess up sometimes, then fix and forgive.  It will also give us an opportunity to talk deeper about why we have rules in place.

I love Abigail Halpin's illustrations. And, I realized that Elissa Haden Guest is the author of the Iris and Walter series (great for 1st and 2nd grade readers).  It is a great addition to picture books I am thinking about for the beginning of next year!