Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Help Me Be Good!

Being Selfish

Rate this book
Book by Berry, Joy Wilt

29 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

8 people are currently reading
224 people want to read

About the author

Joy Berry

636 books58 followers
With over 85 million copies of her books sold, Joy Berry’s message has helped children around the world lead more responsible lives.

Joy Berry, pioneering educator, trusted child-development and parenting specialist, is the bestselling author of Joy Berry Classics for children with more than 250 titles and 85 million copies of her books sold. Joy Berry’s lifelong mission is to help kids help themselves by providing the information and motivation children need to lead responsible lives. Simply put, Joy Berry knows and understands children.

“Children should be 100% responsible for all of their choices and decisions by the time they are 12 years of age,” Joy Berry says. “In order for this to happen, parents need to encourage their children to make as many choices and decisions as possible as early in their lives as possible.”


Joy’s understanding of children and her pragmatic approach to educating and empowering children, has given rise to one of the most extensive juvenile product lines in the world.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
77 (38%)
4 stars
59 (29%)
3 stars
40 (20%)
2 stars
17 (8%)
1 star
5 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Melissa Wilks.
151 reviews8 followers
September 25, 2024
Did not agree with this book.
I will never force my children to share. I will encourage but that's it.
Noone should be forced to share something that's important to them. Especially when you have children that are AuDHD.
Profile Image for Stacy.
1,003 reviews90 followers
March 9, 2017
Helps kids explore the concept of being selfish, and seeing it from another's point of view.
Profile Image for Danielle Grimes.
150 reviews1 follower
February 28, 2024
I read this book this month to my students. It is a great book that explains this and gives them situations for them to talk about how to respond in this situation or how to apologize if they are the one in the wrong in this situation. This entire series is so so good! I highly recommend for lower elementary teachers or parents of lower elementary age children.
Profile Image for Haaley.
992 reviews35 followers
September 5, 2019
This book was helpful. We have been working on not being selfish which is hard for little kids that can't tell when is the right time to say no or when sharing is appropriate.
It gives a few options for how to share and how to respectfully not share.
3 reviews
February 7, 2018
Great Lesson

We love this book. It helps the kids understand how to share, why sharing is important, and when to share.
Profile Image for Kristen.
958 reviews30 followers
April 5, 2019
I grew up on these books and absolutely love them! The Help Me Be Good books are great for young children. My children also loved them when they were young.
Profile Image for Kylie Abecca.
Author 9 books42 followers
November 6, 2020
I loved these books as a kid and I still think they’re a brilliant series that can’t be extremely useful own teaching some very difficult lessons.
Profile Image for Heather.
123 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2009
I believe this book is one from a series of early life lessons for children called "Help Me Be Good" on how to cope with feelings and emerging social situations. Being Selfish is a book that my daughter grabbed off the library shelves and added to our take-home pile, but for a 5-year-old who is still just learning to dip her toes into the friendship pool it has a very timely message.

This book gives examples of what selfish looks and feels like, both from the perspective of a child who is feeling selfish as well as a child who is on the receiving end of it. It asks reflective questions: "When you are with someone who is selfish: How do you feel? What do you think? What do you do?" and gives examples for kids who are stuck: "...You might feel left out, frustrated, and angry. You might not want to be with that person."

It also addresses the importance of knowing when it's appropriate to share, and that it's okay to not want to share all the time, particularly when it comes to items that hold a particular meaning for someone: "Being unselfish does not mean that you have to share all your things all the time. ... Put the food away if you do not have enough to share. Try not to eat in from of someone who does not have anything to eat. ... You do not have to share with anyone who is careless. Put your things away if you think they might be lost or damaged."

This is a book - and a series - that I would not hesitate to search out and read to my children. It has the best of all things that I look for in an informative book like this: illustrations, vocabulary that challenges children to learn, a parent-child interaction section, and examples of both what acting in a certain way feels like when a child is doing it and feeling it from others. I highly recommend it for the preschool to early elementary-aged children in your life.
Profile Image for Kim.
446 reviews
August 31, 2013
I love all the Help me Be Good Books by Joy Berry. I had a couple handed down to me from my mom and I found a bunch of the series at a used book store and bought them all! My kids love reading them just for story night, but I also find them very helpful to read when we are having a problem with a certain trait.

Each book focuses on defining what the action is, how it makes people feel and what to do about it. It helps both sides, if your child is the one being selfish or if you're the one who someone else is being selfish to. It's simple and quick and my kids love the little mouse or bunny character that pops up. The beginning shows what can happen when you do certain things, and in the end shows a much happier outcome if you try something different.

A Book About Being Selfish can help show children how to become into a more selfless person and a less selfish one.
Profile Image for April.
2,641 reviews175 followers
May 23, 2013
Such a great book for kids and adults to read together!! Joy Berry has a wonderful way of bringing things to a kids level to help them understand things better. Sometimes as an adult we forget kids see and process the world differently than us.

Beautifully illustrated to help kids pay attention while learning valuable life lessons!

This series is wonderful for any home or classroom! I want them for he community center where I work!! I am also thrilled they are being made available as ebooks!!
35 reviews
Read
December 10, 2013
This is one book in a boxed set that I bought to read to my children. Each book has a message about displaying good behavior and what that looks like in comparison to the corresponding bad behavior and what that looks like. This would be a great resource to have if you have to address behavioral issues in your classroom. Graphics are colorful cartoon characters that are pleasing for children to look at.
Profile Image for Jane.
Author 6 books89 followers
October 18, 2016
Young children often need to learn through adult guidance how to share so A Children's Book About Being Selfish is a great book to read to children to get a discussion started using leading open-ended questions. Children learn more when they can express their own ideas and relate them to how they play and act with their peers. Sharing or not being selfish is a learned skill for young children.
Profile Image for Theresa.
8,314 reviews135 followers
October 22, 2011
a good resource for teaching children appropriate behavior
a good resource for teaching children appropriate behavior
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.