Words and Your Heart

by Kate Jane Neal

Synopsis coming soon.......

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Emotion, Love, Friendship, Storytime, Kids

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma]

Originally published in 2015, this is a 2017 reprint of Neal's simple book for younger readers about the power of words to harm or heal.

I admit I picked it up because of the title--isn't it great?--but I liked the cover, the simple sweet drawings and all the space on the pages.

Neal said she wrote it after observing verbal bullying on a playground.

[Barbara]

Originally published in the United Kingdom, this picture book reminds readers that words have an impact on their hearers. Relying on simple sketches and creative use of fonts, the author explains how words can heal, encourage, but they can also harm. The message is a powerful one, and while I agree completely that words don't just go in our ears but also into our hearts, I got a little tired of the asides--"The little bit inside of them that makes them, them!" (unpaged), for instance. Having lines like that once seems to be enough without leaving readers hit over the head with a hammer with this positive message. Plenty of readers will be touched by the reminder and perhaps choose to say something kind rather than a cruel utterance, which isn't a bad thing, after all. The author's bio mentions that her inspiration for the book came after noticing how school children used words to bully others. This title would certainly be useful in a collection devoted to compassion, kindness, and empathy as well as character development.

[Carolyn]

“How about we use our words to look after each other’s hearts? Today, somebody’s world can be a better place because of you!” This book is about hearts, and words and the power words can have to help or harm.

[BreAnna (Bre'sBooks)]

Lovely.

[Nicole]

A sweet, simple book that sends a great message to others about the overall impact and power of our words. I can definitely see myself using it with my students across elementary grades! ❤

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book*]

Neal, Kate Jane Words and Your Heart. PICTURE BOOK. Feiwel and Friends (Macmillan), 2017. $18. 9781250168726

This book is about your heart and how words can affect your heart. Words have the power to injure and words have the power to lift up –so use your words to bring joy to someone’s heart. It features simple black and white and red illustrations.

This is a powerful and simple message for young readers. We already had this book in my school library and it went out to multiple classrooms with a series of lessons about how to be kind. I think so often we tell students to be kind (honest, share, good friends, etc) but not teach them outright how to go about accomplishing that. This book is part of the answer. The illustrations are just perfect and it’s one of my favorite books this year.

EL(K-3) – ESSENTIAL. Stephanie, Elementary School Librarian & Author
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...

[Jeimy]

A message we’ve read time and time again, but the book itself is cute.

[storymamas]

This book is beautiful! Words and Your Heart is the perfect book for Valentine's Day but really any day of the year. We love the simplicity of the black, red and white color scheme letting the words really take charge. It’s a story about how words are powerful and important, how words can make you feel happy or sad and how words can effect others. When I was reading with my 4 year old we had a wonderful discussion about what words can make people feel 😜 and 😢. One of our favorite parts of the book asks each reader to take a part in making the world a better place by saying, “How about we use our words to look after each other’s hearts?” This is one you need for every home and classroom setting! Thank you to Kate for writing this book to give us the opportunities to have conversations with kids of all ages around the power of our words!

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS]

Words have power. They can build someone up or tear them down. Neal provides a very straightforward lesson about how words can transform a person for better or worse through two delightful line drawings of a girl and a cat. Simple illustrations full of emotion and feeling are juxtaposed against a stark white background that makes the images pop in a read-aloud setting.

The line repeated 5 times throughout the book is about your heart--"The little bit inside of you that makes you, you!"The repetition is perfect for a younger audience to make the idea stick and to use it throughout a classroom's curriculum.

Truly a sweet addition to any unit on bullying as young children begin to be more expressive through their words.

Reviewed by: Miss Kelsey, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Les lectures d’L-J]

Titre : Au coeur des mots
Auteur : Kate Jane Neal
Illustrateur : Kate Jane Neal
Maison d’édition : Scholastic
Genre littéraire : Album jeunesse
Note : 4/5

Sujet(s) principal(s) : Amour de sois et des autres, le pouvoir des mots
Personnages : Il n’y a pas vraiment de personnages. Il y à des petit bonhommes qui nous parles, mais ont ne connais pas leurs nom.

Illustrations : Les illustrations semblent être en aquarelle. Elles sont simples, mais tout de même très jolies. Elles ne sont qu’en noire et rouge, le rouge représentant le cœur, l’amour et la joie.

Histoire : Nous avons des petits bonhommes qui nous expliquent l’importance de nos mots et l'impact qu’ils peuvent avoir.

Avis perso : J’ai tout aimé de ce livre, les images sont belles et significatives, le sujets est pertinent et bien enmené. Sujet important à discuter avec les enfants.

[Kelsey]

Age: Preschool-2nd grade

Words have power. They can build someone up or tear them down. Neal provides a very straightforward lesson about how words can transform a person for better or worse through two delightful line drawings of a girl and a cat. Simple illustrations full of emotion and feeling are juxtaposed against a stark white background that makes the images pop in a read-aloud setting.

The line repeated 5 times throughout the book is about your heart--"The little bit inside of you that makes you, you!"The repetition is perfect for a younger audience to make the idea stick and to use it throughout a classroom's curriculum.

Truly a sweet addition to any unit on bullying as young children begin to be more expressive through their words.

[Ro Menendez]

A social emotional learning must-have! This book is not a story but rather an exploration of words and their power. It establishes for the reader how our words directly affect another's heart. It does not dwell on how unkind words can hurt us terribly, and does not offer any examples, but rather illustrates the consequences on someone's heart. Then it continues to offer examples via words and art of how we can use our words to change others demonstrating how not only the heart receiving but also the heart giving strengthens and rejoices. Readers will have a visual and word reminder of the power of their words after reading this book, and hopefully will use their words to help and heal.

[Margaret]

As 2017 comes to a close people tend to mull over the past year and look forward to the next. It's a time to examine who we are, who we want to be and how we will be remembered. The making of New Year's resolutions is traditionally observed around the world. A very low percentage of those intentions are followed. It has been suggested the reason for this low percentage is due to the complicated nature of the resolutions or the number made.

If each of us were to select a single pledge, a change for 2018, or a recommitment, what would it be? Words and Your Heart (Feiwel And Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC, December 26, 2017) written and illustrated by Kate Jane Neal invites us to consider the effect of what we say. We need to decide if we will heal and give hope or hurt.


My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...

[Ms. Shoshana]

An important message for kids about how words can hurt feelings, but I don't see any kid appeal. It's the kind of book you give to a parent who needs to teach that lesson, but it seems like these sorts of ideas are often transmitted better through story. Kids understand the parables, but this just feels preachy and boring. The art is bright and graphic, though.

[Ivy]

This is a wonderful book that is dual purpose in the classroom. It talks about the power of our words and that we should use them for kindness. I use this for social skills. However there is a lot of word art in the book. So we also discuss the power of written words and how we use them. I have gotten a lot of mileage out of this book!

[Donna Mork]

Sweet book about how words affect your heart. Your heart is that little bit inside you that makes you you. And sometimes, words can heal the heart, make it stronger, make it braver. But bad words can hurt the heart like an arrow piercing it. So be careful which words you use and help others feel better.

[Kalynda]

What a delightful find at the library today! Yes, words do effect your heart, my heart, everyone's heart...for the benefit of the heart and self and sometimes for the damage, but words, again can turn that around. What an important read and re-read for any classroom and home, especially with that good discussion afterward about what exactly those words are...for example, "thank you".

[RaisingReal Readers]

This is a sweet book told to remind the reader that words do and can change you- and it's important to think about what you say and how you interpret what you hear. The pictures are simple, but clever. The use of font variation for the words themselves remind the reader that it's all about the words, both in the book and in life.

[Peyton]

Words and Your Heart discusses the effects of positive and negative words on both yours and other people’s heart. It shows how words can hurt, but also how they can heal. It shows that words have a huge influence over emotions and feelings. This book is a great way to discuss word usage with children; what is appropriate to say and what is not.

[Diane]

“Your words are amazing and powerful.”

Your words have the power to help someone or hurt someone. How you use your words can have an impact on the world. So, it’s important to choose them wisely. “How about we use our words to look after each other’s hearts?’

This would fit nicely into our guidance counselor’s curriculum.

[Linda (bythebellbooks)]

This book is like a magical journey into understanding how words can make our hearts feel. The pictures are super colorful, and the story is fun. It teaches us that our words have the power to make people happy or sad. It's a cool book that shows why using kind words is like spreading sunshine. Totally recommend it for a joyful and heartwarming read!

[Syntha Green]

This is an important book to keep in a librarian's bag of tricks because at some point an adult is going to ask for books to help their child understand than words have power and can hurt others' feelings.

[RhiannaH]

A wonderful book that can be shared with any age. This book perfectly explores the positive and negative impact that words can have upon us. This book reinforces the benefits of positive words and how we should all be conscious of the words that we use to one another. Highly recommend.

[Pam]

Beautiful story with simple illustrations to show young (and not so young) how important our words are. Words can be arrows in the heart or mood boosters.
Good to start discussion about what we say to each other in classes and on the playground.

[Brenda]

This book is deceiving, on the surface it is a simple book with limited text and illustrations, but it carries a strong message about the power of words to harm and heal. Highly recommended for listeners through middle elementary.

[Shana]

I picked this up when the cover caught my eye. It carries an important message sweet illustrations. Parents of toddlers you may want to pick this book up to help explain the power of words. This may help instill knowledge before bullying begins.

[Amy Brydon Jones]

A great book to teach children that their words can really affect those around them. I think it would be a wonderful book to use in PSHE when talking about bullying and feelings e.g. 'your words can actually change the way someone's heart feels.'

[Andrea]

I really liked the way this story explained what words can do to feelings in a simple, conversational tone. The use of different fonts and the colour palette in the illustrations gave the text a stronger impact. Would be great in an educator’s book collection!

[Kate M. Colby]

Nana got this book for Jack in a marketplace bundle. I read it to him before bedtime, and he kind of bounced in and out of it while being fascinated with the space heater. But he did listen and liked it when I tapped his heart and cuddled him.

[Duncan Beckley]

Very sweet. Brilliantly illustrated. Simplistic language. About how our words can effect others.