How Selfish

by Clare Helen Welsh

The hilarious follow up title to How Rude! which introduced us to the wonderful duo, Dot and Duck. They're back with a new story and even more giggles. One day Dot and Duck find a stick, only Dot thinks it's a sword and Duck thinks it's a flag. When Dot refuses to share the new toy, she goes to any lengths to make sure Duck doesn't try to take it. How will Duck react to such selfish behaviour? A simply hilarious story with an important message and a touching ending.

Genres: Picture Books, Friendship, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 17, 2020

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing for this free copy in return for an honest review. I have recently started to read children's and young adult books. And while this book has a good message I found it not as good as others I have read, While the illustrations are cute they are rather simplistic even for the age-group they are intended for. The concept of sharing is good, but I felt disdain for the small child who hogged everything. I understand where the author is coming from but it just did not get me excited for the book. Maybe I would feel differently if I reread it, but I doubt I will do that.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This seems like it should work, but it fell a little flat for me. While it probably accurately shows young children's behaviour (selfishness, being grabby, only relenting with the threat of tattling), it's a bit grating. The selfishness goes on for a bit too long, and while the duo do eventually learn that it's not much fun to have all the toys when you're stuck playing by yourself, that message seems to come a little late. Dot and Duck have already modelled some pretty nasty behaviour for the first 20 pages of the book; I would've liked to see more emphasis on the resolution, since that's what's really important here.

The pictures are okay, but nothing special. If Duck didn't have that name, I wouldn't necessarily have known that's what he was (he actually reminds me a bit of Woodstock from the Peanuts comic strip, in that his beak looks more like some sort of fleshy nose).

Overall, I don't know if I'd recommend this one. It's okay, but it seems to dwell on the bad behaviour for a little too long.

Thank you to NetGalley and words & pictures for providing a digital ARC.

[Bea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This publisher may not be for me. This is the second, or maybe third, book by them that I've read and the stories are too moralistic and messagey for my comfort. I prefer morals and lessons to be more subtle and less hit you over the head and shove it down your throat.

That said, I do think the story will resonate with young children and the artwork will engage them. I won't recommend it for my classroom or school because of it's lack of subtlety but it will work for some parents, caregivers, and teachers.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This is a simple yet very funny book for children about selfishness and sharing.
After arguing over a stick which one character wants to use as a flag and the other as a sword, they fall out and both end up alone with no one to share their toys or stick with and both feel bored and sad until they make friends and find a solution to resolve their problem.
This book teaches children that sharing is much more fun than being mean and selfish with your friend.

[Jeanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do you teach your little ones how not to be selfish? By example and of course reading a funny story about Duck and Dot. Dot had many toys to play with and when Duck wanted to play with some of Dot's toys, the answer was no MINE! However, the story goes into reversal. Duck as all the toys and he is not sharing too. We see Duck and Dot lonely and bored because they do not have anyone to play with because of selfishness. They learn how they can share their toys and have fun doing it.

A lesson we all can learn!

A Special Thank you to Quartro Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I cracked up (literally laughed out loud) at the first page of this book, so you know it's a good one right off the bat! The illustrations are adorable and there's not too much on each page to get kids distracted when reading it.

Dot's friend, Duck, shows her things and she takes them away saying that they are hers. Duck asks if they can share and she blatantly says no. When Duck says he's going to tell on her, she finally wants to share because she doesn't want to get in trouble, but she still won't share the one thing Duck wants - a stick. He finally convinces her to trade the stick for all the other toys, but he lies and keeps them all to himself. They are both pretty sad and Duck finds a way for them to both play with the stick. Together.

[Aanandika · Rating 5 out of 5]

How Selfish is a soon-to-be-released word and picture book by Clare Helen Welsh and Olivier Tallec , published by Quarto Publishing Group. The book tells the story about a Duck and her friend Dot. Duck finds a stick but Dot makes away with it. duck tries to get the stick back from Dot but ends up losing all the other toys to her as well. And Dot though now has things, she learns a most difficult lesson about friendship and sharing. Beautifully illustrated and with excellent (and minimal) writing this book catches attention and manages to deliver an important message , teaching children not to be selfish. The quirky illustrations are not your run of the mill ones. They capture the child's imagination. I read the book with my 5 year old and after we were done, he went back to it to just look at the pictures. Quarto publishes fantastic books for the younger audience and I am a big fan of their Little People, Big DREAMS series which bring to life various world leaders for smaller age groups (though I wish they do come out with a similar line for preteens and so on).

[Storywraps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful book will be perfect to teach your little ones an important life lesson on sharing. It is a follow up to the title "How Rude!" and from the series "Dot and Duck." The story not only touches on the main theme of sharing but also on manners, and friendship.

Duck finds a stick and brings it along when he plays with Dot. Dot grabs the stick and insists it's a sword... her sword. "Mine!" Duck says it's not a sword but a flag. The duo bicker back and forth each wanting to have their own way.

They won't give it up and both of them end up alone and sad. It's no fun to be all alone and not have a playmate to share playtime with. The two finally arrive at a compromise and solve the dilemma. The book's message is that it's more fun sharing with someone than being selfish and mean and all alone.

The colourful illustrations are very well done and featured on a white background. This book lends itself to spark conversations about problem solving and playing nicely with your friends. I highly recommend this book.

[Elles_shelves · Rating 5 out of 5]

How Selfish by Clare Helen Welsh and Oliver Tallec is a sweet tell about sharing and friendship. It tells the story of Duck and Dot who discover a stick while they are playing together. They are both creative, so Dot sees the stick as a sword, but Duck sees the stick as a flag. The two friends proceed to bicker and end up not playing together anymore. They both decide playing alone is boring and not as much fun, so they end up breaking the stick in two so that they can both play together and have fun. This story obviously talks about friendship and sharing, but it also shows the main characters problem solving their issue and coming up with a resolution that is a bit more complex than merely taking turns. This is the perfect time or a parent or a teacher to talk about what it means to be a friend and how friends sometimes need to compromise when playing together. I am a special education teacher and I can see this being particularly useful for helping teach social skills.

[Jo]

Dot and Duck are friends good friends. One day, they find a stick and disagree over what it should be used for. After much argument over what it should be, they accuse eachother of selfishness and end up playing alone, which definitely isn't much fun. Can the 2 friends sort out their differences and share?

This is a simple story with a clear message: things are better if we share. Dot and Duck find themselves in a situation that many young children will throughout their childhood and this story can be used to teach them that if they compromise and work together things can be better.

This is a story I would consider using with a small group of children to support them during disagreements, It could be used to help them see their situation from another point of view and guide them towards a solution.

I received an eARC of this book from the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

'How Selfish!' by Clare Helen Welsh with illustrations by Olivier Tallec reunites the characters from 'How Rude!' for another funny lesson on manners.

When Dot and Duck find a stick, one sees it as a sword and the other a flag. Dot decides the stick is hers and does whatever she can to keep Duck from having it. Can these two friends find a compromise?

Just like in the previous book, these characters demonstrate a bad behavior type. The illustrations are funny, and I'd love to read this aloud to a group of toddlers. The illustrations are bright and fun.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group - words and pictures, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dot and duck are playing. But not with each other. Duck has brought out toys and made their own imaginative toys out of sticks. But Dot takes things from Duck. And Duck’s refrain is always how selfish. This is typical behavior you would see in kids. And overall, I guess the story works. There are things that give me pause. At one point duck goes ouch that hurt. and that just hangs there. No apologies. No checking to make it better. No are you OK. Also Dots reaction when Duck says they’ll tell seems a tad bit extreme. This may be an adult reading too much into this. While I like the illustrations, I think they are well done and timeless. I would have a hard time sharing this story because of what I see within the pages.

[April Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Duck shows his friend Dot the great stick he's found, she takes it away and declares it hers. He says it's a flag, she says it's a sword. Duck tries to negotiate with Dot to get her to share, but she doesn't budge until Duck threatens to tell on her for being selfish. To avoid getting in trouble, Dot agrees to trade the stick for all the other toys, but Duck tricks her and keeps everything. After they get bored playing by themselves, Duck finds a way to share the stick that leaves them both happy. A cute and funny story with a good lesson and great artwork.

#HowSelfish #NetGalley

[Ja · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dot and Duck are Friends, nur when Duck finds a stick they fight over it. Is it a sword or a flag ? How will they resolve the situation ?

Very cute illustrations in this book, I love how grumpy Dot comes along, how Duck seems so frustrated with her. Sharing the stick by breaking it in half is a very nice solution in the end.

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very broadly drawn characters – a sort-of human child called Dot and a golden ducky thing called, er, Duck – squabble over the use of toys – and even a stick one of them finds. As long as your youngster can cope with the unattributed dialogue – there is no text other than the speech, which could have done with some balloons or tails at least at times – this will go down most satisfactorily.

[Helen Ishmurzin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dot and Duck are back! In this delightful sequel to How Rude!, Duck arrives with a stick and announces that it's a sword, but Dot insists it's a flag. An argument ensues, with Dot in particular unwilling to share either the stick, or any other item for that matter (except a lone leaf). An argument ensues, which continues to escalate until the two friends realise they now have no one to play with...

This cute and quirky story is told entirely in dialogue. The plot will feel familiar to any parent or educator accustomed to dealing with young children who are still learning how to walk the fine line between standing their ground and being kind to others.

Olivier Tallec's adorable illustrations stand out against the white background with their vibrant red, yellow and green palette. The expressions on Dot and Duck's faces beautifully capture their emotions.

How Selfish! is a fun and playful story that subtly but effectively teaches kids about sharing, compromise and the value of friendship.

[Teresa Selders · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great simple read for pre-k (3-5) and kindergarten students. It will fit well in my classroom library because it teaches the children about sharing and being able to have fun together without being selfish. I like that it shows how two people can learn to try each others ideas and have fun doing it. The pictures would also keep their attention.

[Zahra Labbafan · Rating 2 out of 5]

نمره ۲.۵
کتاب به اسم چه خودخواه با ترجمه سمیه حیدری توسط انتشارات مهرسا چاپ‌شده است.

یک کتاب با تصویرسازی عالی در مورد دختر و اردکی که سر اسباب بازی‌هاش بحث دارند و در آخر باهم به توافق می‌رسند
عاشق تصویرسازی‌های قشنگ کتاب‌های کودک هستم
بچه‌ها حتی اگر کسی براشون کتاب رو نخونه با تصویرسازی‌ها می‌تونند برای خودشون قصه رو جلو ببرند و داستان رو بفهمند.

[Maria Antonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story about a kid who doesn't want to share anything. The fact that it features a human kid and a duck makes the story seem less didactic, which is good. I liked the little switch at the end (with the duck and the sword). And also the solution. Great story to help teach kids about sharing.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so cute! I love the drawings. I also love how it really portrays how kids feel when someone doesn’t share with them. This is definitely a book that is great for teachers’ classrooms and for the home.

[Dylan Teut]

Can we not with any more books that end in magical moments of forgiveness without any apology? My pet peeve. We need to model what Apologies and forgiveness look and sound like. This book had neither, though plenty of opportunity.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sharing can be oh-so-hard for little ones. Dot and Duck have a hard time sharing - Duck thinks the stick should be a flag while Dot is convinced it is a sword! Feelings are hurt; tattling is threatened. But in the end, friendship wins out and a solution is discovered.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book is about sharing. I think at one point in time, all parents struggle with this problem with their children. This book isn't especially unique but the pictures are colorful and the story flows well.

[Erin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one fell flat. I can't even tell if these two characters were supposed to be friends. They sure didn't seem to know how to play together and not sure who was calling them selfish...each other or some distant narrator. The wrap up comes out of nowhere and was not satisfying.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story to talk about the principles of sharing and compromising. I love books that are able to engage young readers on their level AND teach simple but important lessons.

[Meredith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dot and Duck have difficulty sharing.

This picture book teaches the importance of sharing and warns against being completely self-centered.

[Jessica Gard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story, and the illustration style is wonderful! Unfortunately, my five year old daughter has a lot of trouble with being very selfish when it comes to sharing her twin brother, and this story really outlined the situation in a way she could understand. She could see why Duck wouldn't want to play with Dot given her selfish behaviors, and we were able to discuss how similar this story was to her own actions. I would absolutely recommend this to other parents who are struggling with a selfish child!

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

[Savannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This teaches kids the benefits of sharing with others in a great way!