Review: 'A verbal wound is as bad as a physical wound.'
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 7, 2013
Once again author Yael Aharoni (with excellent assistance from illustrator Mario) has created a children’s book about behavior modification that hits the nail on the head! This story deals with the value of friendship, treasuring friends and controlling inappropriate anger.Daniel the Irascible offers the tale of a boy named Daniel who awoke each morning in a peevish, furious and irascible state of mind. He said unkind things to his parents and neighbors and friends to the point that his ‘friends’ refused to play with him: Daniel is then very lonely. Daniel seeks his father’s advice as to how to correct his loneliness. His father suggests that every time he insults or says bad things to his friends that upon returning home he should pound a nail into their fence to mark the lack of controlling anger. Daniel complies and each day he must drive nails into the fence - but he found that the physical work of hammering nails was more of a strain than restraining himself from saying bad things. His father supports him by telling him that every day he is able to control his anger he can remove a nail, and soon the nails in the fence are all removed and Daniel is now happy playing with his friends. Rewarding Daniel his father states, ’Friends are like diamonds! They are precious. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They are attentive and they are always there for you. You should not leave a scar on your friend’s heart’.Aharoni is able to make a fine lesson in behavior that also provides an interesting story children will love. Conquering any dragon, especially a dragon like temper and loneliness, always makes for memorable tales. Grady Harp, December 13