Way Past Sorry

by Hallee Adelman, Josep María Juli (illustrator)

It's easy to do something that hurts a friend. It’s harder to make it right again.

Kat promised to be Sage’s buddy on the class trip, but when it was time to board the bus, Kat sat with someone else. Now Sage is ignoring Kat, and won’t talk to her even after she apologizes. Kat is way past sorry. Somehow, she needs to make this right again with her best friend.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Emotion, Childrens, School

32 pages, Paperback

Published October 3, 2024

Reviews

[Kathy Temean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great "Big Feelings" book. I love it. All children will learn so much from this book because all children make mistakes with their friends. Kat made a mistake by sitting with Meera on the Class trip bus and not sitting with her best friend Sage, so what can she do when saying, Sorry" is not enough?

Kat heart is heavy with guilt. She's so upset seeing Sage sitting alone that it causes Kat to mess up her science experiment. Her teacher whispers, "Keep trying, Kat. Good scientists make mistakes." Kat asks him, "If good scientists make mistakes, do you think good friend do too?" He replies, "What do you think?" Kat pictures the times when she acted like a good friend and by the end of the school day, Meera, Sage, and Kat are party of three sitting together on the bus, sharing snacks and laughing with smiles for everyone!

Josep's illustration so colorful and eye-catching. I love how he captured all the feelings, Kat and Sage felt and kids a sure to keep reading to get to the happy ending. I know this book will help many children deal with their big feelings.

[Bonnie Grover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat was sorry. Way past sorry. She broke a promise to Sage, and now Sage won’t talk to Kat and is ignoring her, even when Kat apologizes. Kat can’t even tell their friends the truth about what she did. How can Kat show her best friend how sorry she really is? It’s easy to do something that you regret. It’s harder to make it right again. Please consider adding this to your classroom libraries and share with your counselors. This series is a great addition to your the SEL section of your library.

[Eileen R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

My bookshelf is filling up with these little treasures from the Great Big Feelings series by Hallee Adelman. Way Past Sorry is another heartfelt book that helps little people understand their big feelings. When Kat breaks a promise to Sage, she feels stuck with her sorry. Do good friends make mistakes? How can she make things right? This sweet story ends with smiles for everyone. Highly recommended.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect book for a small child who has hurt the feelings of a friend. Explains why you should not do things that will be hurtful; and why you should keep your word to someone when you give it. I can see this book being 'assigned' reading for small children in school after they have done something hurtful to a classmate.

[Daisy Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about feelings and making mistakes with fiends. Great story about owning up to what you did and saying that five letter word, sorry, this often too hard to say. The main character also realizes what she should have done, which is a learning experience.
Paired perfectly with vibrant illustrations.

[Brooke - TheBrookeList · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lesson on being a good friend and apologizing.

Read as a nomination in the Fiction Picture Book book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).

[Lauri Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The choice to not site with her best friend leaves Kat with very conflicted feelings. Instead of saying sorry, the guilt and shame and worry build up and turn into a lie and meanness. Finally she “unpacked the sorry like a heavy backpack. “. A great friendship triangle story .

[Mama C · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when you hurt a friend's feelings and feel really bad about it? This story helps kids explore feelings of regret and see how a friendship can be repaired.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl learns how to do a sincere apology and make amends with her friend when she hurt her.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like how feelings are described in this series.

[Liz Todd]

Great example of an apology.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kat learns a valuable lesson about hurting other people's feelings when she ignores her friend and breaks her promise. Her friend, Sage, is gracious and forgives her.

[Karen Kline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid story about a girl who makes mistakes and alienates a friend on a school field trip. Promises, lies, and even making rude facial gestures are confronted in this well-paced picture book with accompanying art that supports and propels readers with details.