When Sophie’s Feelings Are Really, Really Hurt by Molly Bang (review)

Sophie, of When Sophie Gets Angry—Really, Really Angry (BCCB 4/99), returns with a new predicament. When Sophie’s teacher asks the class to each paint a tree that is special to them, Sophie paints her beloved beech tree—but the tree’s actual colors don’t convey the feeling the tree gives Sophie. Sophie therefore paints the tree a vivid turquoise, adding an orange sky and chartreuse leaves because they look good with the turquoise and capture the happiness she wants to express. Then a classmate criticizes her picture—“We’re supposed to paint a REAL tree, Sophie. You did it WRONG”—and suddenly Sophie is not only sad but also ashamed of her picture. Her understanding teacher comes to the rescue, asking just the right questions and validating Sophie’s approach to the project; that moment coupled with a visit to her beech tree at book’s end offers a balm to Sophie’s tumultuous day. This isn’t as taut and imaginative as Bang’s previous title about Sophie, but the story does successfully illustrate the emotional experience of feeling criticized, and Bang’s direct, sensitive approach to the topic will make it a useful tool for both classrooms and families. Primary-graders will easily sympathize with and relate to Sophie’s circumstances, and the text provides both kids and adults with a helpful dialogue model for discussing future incidents. Bang’s bold art draws kids into the emotional center of the story—a diagonally skewed perspective on the scene of Sophie’s initial hurt is particularly effective. Thick, saturated paint in vivid colors and vibrantly red linework are eye-catching, and the multicultural cast adds to the book’s appeal and usefulness. This is likely to join its predecessor in becoming a classroom and family staple.