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Tells why fighting can be harmful, explains how to avoid fights, and suggests what to do when angry

32 pages, Library Binding

First published January 1, 1983

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86 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.

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5 stars
36 (35%)
4 stars
33 (32%)
3 stars
19 (18%)
2 stars
11 (10%)
1 star
3 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
Profile Image for Melissa Page.
9 reviews
March 18, 2020
If you find these books, please buy them and throw them in the garbage; you would be doing a service to all children. The entire series is the most negative, irresponsible children's books I have ever read. I remember being read this as a child & recently was given the set by my mom when she was purging her house. I plan on never reading them to my own children. The ownership placed on small children for behaviours that should be managed by parents is astounding and unhealthy. These were clearly published long before the current knowledge surrounding children’s brain development and connection or attachment-based parenting. They have no place in modern society. I would give them zero stars if it was an option.
671 reviews1 follower
January 31, 2020
This book teaches children how to deal with conflict and gives them some different strategies that they can use, such as walking away from people who make you angry or asking an adult to help you negotiate a plan. I found this book to be very wordy and focus too much on the fighting part and not enough on ways of talking to each other. It lost me in the middle and definitely by the end. Arely didn't seem to into it either.
Profile Image for Kylie Abecca.
Author 9 books42 followers
June 8, 2021
Not the best Help Me Be Good book. It is very oversimplified and quite unrealistic about how ‘simple’ resolving a fight is. Most ‘fights’ are sparked by one or more children being a bully and tormenting another child. In that scenario no amount of walking away or compromising will solve the issue.
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 Elizabeth.
551 reviews21 followers
September 21, 2009
We had several books by Joy Wilt Berry including most of the "Survival books" when I was growing up that my mother had passed on to me. I highly recommend this author for books for young children. She approaches the topic in a straight forward manner explaining the words and concepts and then giving concrete instructions on what to do. Right now we are reading some of the books aimed at younger children and my son picks them out on his own at story time.
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!!
Profile Image for Melissa Namba.
2,237 reviews16 followers
March 24, 2017
a good book for kids. it offers a couple of coping ideas and explains that there might be two different sides to the story. the one thing I didn't like was the recommendation to avoid the person because maybe toy are around them too much. many kids don't have the option to avoid a sibling.
Profile Image for Kylie Abecca.
Author 9 books42 followers
June 8, 2021
Not the best Help Me Be Good book. It is very oversimplified and quite unrealistic about how ‘simple’ resolving a fight is. Most ‘fights’ are sparked by one or more children being a bully and tormenting another child. In that scenario no amount of walking away or compromising will solve the issue.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews

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