About This Book
Reach for this book when your child comes home complaining about a classmate who follows every rule to a fault or constantly reports on others. It is the perfect choice for navigating the social friction of school field trips and the frustration of being paired with someone whose personality clashes with your own. The story follows Gilbert the opossum on a Thanksgiving class trip to a historical site, where he is stuck with a partner who is a known tattletale. Through Gilbert's experience, children see their own feelings of annoyance and impatience validated. The book balances humor with a realistic look at how social dynamics play out in elementary school. It is an excellent tool for teaching empathy and the value of looking past a peer's irritating habits to find common ground. Parents will find it particularly helpful for discussing 'snitching' versus 'reporting' and how to maintain kindness even when someone is getting on your nerves.
