Martha doesn't say sorry!
In her pink dress and headband, Martha looks the part of a ladylike otter child. And indeed, she is accomplished at giving hugs, sharing snacks, and making presents. But when she’s “not so nice,” she compounds the problem by stubbornly refusing to apologize. After a time-out proves insufficient, some parental tough love brings her around to a different point of view. Written with simplicity and a strong sense of narrative structure, the story conveys sympathy for Martha’s feelings while outwardly focusing on how she acts and what she wants. The sensitive colored-pencil drawings, tinted with watercolor washes, concentrate on the characters; with a minimum of props and no backgrounds, they spotlight the four members of Martha’s family and clearly express nuances of emotion with the mere tip of a snout or slant of an eyebrow. Both adults and children will enjoy the droll humor and good storytelling in this well-designed picture book. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan