Will I love Oh No, George!?

I have to admit that books about kindness can often be a tad preachy. This is emphatically not one of those books. In fact, it’s hilarious—but sneakily profound at the same time.

George the Dog has to reckon with the impact of his impulsive behavior, and he learns how to make amends and set intentions to do better in the future. These are the first steps any of us have to take in learning how to be kind and ethical people. Good job, George!

Another book about a dog named George! This George is a sweet, well-intentioned dog who is trying very hard to be good. But oh dear, there are so many temptations. Cake! A cat. Some lovely dirt. 

“What will George do?” the book asks. And then comes the page turn. (As you can probably tell from the title, George doesn’t always make the best choices.) The kids will shout, “Oh no, George!” with me and giggle at the silly illustrations that follow, like George happily eating an entire cake. But they can also relate. Sometimes making the right choices can be… show more.

George is a modern classic, one of my best favorites! I always show it to my students when I give some of my writing workshops. And it always works: they laugh! It’s a perfect story because it’s funny and because when you think you can tell how it will be ending, it surprises you with a final twist.

George is a very diligent dog but: he likes eating cakes and playing with the cat and digging the soil of the home plants. So, every time he’s all alone… it’s a disaster!