Although this is written as a children's book, <i>The Girl Who Said Sorry</i> is a familiar tale for every female. It expresses the frustration of the constant state of living within double standards, be great--but not too great, be thin--but not too thin, speak your mind--but stop talking. It's purpose is to address all of those things that girls and women immediately apologize for because that's the way we've all been raised. And it rightly points out that being apologetic for being yourself is something we all need to move away from.

Delightful book for children. Just a few pages, a few pictures, and a few words but a POWERFUL message! Buy them for the children you love, all of the ones you want to gift with courage to be themselves!

This was a very short story for girls. The whole point of it is to tell them that they should be who they are and not apologize for it.
The message was great, the drawings were amazing. I would definitely buy that or something of the sort for my daughter (whenever I have a daughter).
It was so short though, 16 pages counting the covers, it barely felt like an actual story...

Fabulous premise for a children's book. We have a young female neighbor who apologizes every other breath, so I was particularly interested in this book to perhaps recommend to her and her family. Very strong start in explaining why women feel the need to apologize and the constant mixed messages that girls receive. However, the resolution was a little too abrupt and clean. If all of the adults around her were disapproving of behavior, how can a young girl just suddenly decide not to care?

7/10

The Girl Who Says Sorry does a great job at highlighting the ridiculous double standards girls are held to, the contradictory information they have to navigate every day and how guilt and apologising are used to oppress women and girls. It encourages girls to stop apologising and be themselves, which is a message they need to hear so much more!

It could be better, however. The character realises that apologising so much is 'very silly'. Having the character berate themselves for behaving the way they were expected to is not helpful and adds to the problem. Additionally, the main point of the book is 'I will not apologise for actions that don't hurt anyone else' and I think this is too abstract. What counts as an action that hurts someone else? This is difficult to work out even as an adult! Much of the oppression of women and girls is based on the fact that they hurt men's feelings, by for example being too assertive. If a girl tells a boy he's being silly and he cries, how is she supposed to work out that she didn't really hurt him? So in fact saying 'I will not apologise for actions that don't hurt anyone else' still leaves the lines blurred and doesn't help. It should have given some concrete examples of what she shouldn't have to apologise for, for example 'I won't apologise for wearing what I want,' 'I won't apologise for eating what I want' or 'I won't apologise for speaking up.'

Overall, this is definitely a step in the right direction and we need more books that reinforce this message!