Manners in Public (Way to Be!)

Carrie Finn never thought that she would write books, much less books for children. However, after spending so much time with her 13 nieces and nephews, something must have rubbed off on her. She’s now the author of 10 titles for Picture Window Books. Carrie has been teaching college writing since 1999 and continues to enjoy helping others with their writing. She stays busy by throwing pottery on the wheel, playing the piano, baking bread from scratch, and talking to the miniature donkeys on the farm near her house. Carrie currently lives in Waterloo, Iowa, with her husband and trusty sidekick, Dan.

PreSchool-Grade 2—Each title offers nine examples of good manners, one per spread. The writing is clear, no-nonsense. The correct behavior is highlighted through an example—"Elliot waits his turn to ride the swing"—followed by the sentence "He [or she or they] is [or are] using good manners," which strengthens the message. Yet this style wears a bit thin by the end of the book. Upbeat, well-mannered (no doubt) children of different ethnicities are shown on the endpapers and throughout. The digitally created illustrations are large, colorful, and interesting, helping to highlight the lessons. Each book has a useless index and a "Fun Facts" page. One fun fact is that in Tibet, people enjoy watching yak racing (Playground). Fun? Perhaps. Relevant? Not really. The "Good Manners" series (Capstone) offers similar information in a smaller format, with photographs of children participating in polite conduct. Finn's titles are, all told, pleasing-to-the-eye introductions to correct behavior, especially suitable for classroom use.—Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI
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