Oh! If Only…
Random House Canada
age 4-8
By Michael Foreman
32 pages
Synopsis from Random House Canada
“Oh! If only … I had stayed home that day … If only … I hadn’t met that dog … If only … he didn’t want to play … “ And so begins a remarkably funny chain of events as one young boy and a dog unwittingly cause greater havoc than either imagined possible!
As adults we don’t corner the market on regret, kids have them too. If only I didn’t have to do my presentation first. If only I was on my friend’s soccer team. If only I had a baby sister. Oh! If Only… pokes a little fun at how kids sometimes regret doing something and the repercussions of those actions. It also reminds us to look at the positive side of a situation. If you look hard enough you can find some good. Presenting first means you don’t have to worry about your presentation on subsequent days, it’s done and out of the way. You may not be on your friend’s soccer team but you get to play against her and you made a whole new group of friends on your new team.
Oh! If Only… kids can all learn from mistakes but they should also be reminded to find the good. Seek the positive. Oh! If Only… is a great book to remind them and us that life is too short to dwell on regret.
You can find a copy of Oh! If Only… at your local bookstore or at Sterling Books Books. Visit our Kid’s Books section for other great book recommendations.