Sally Sore Loser: A Story About Winning and Losing

K-Gr 3—Sally hates to lose; she hogs the ball, bosses her teammates, and takes the fun out of playing any game with her. One day after a particularly bad outburst, her classmates dub her "Sally Sore Loser," which upsets her. Mr. Taylor, her sage teacher, gives her some advice by outlining the eight rules of being a good sport. Sally learns that she needs to be polite and encourage her teammates, know the rules and try her best without showing off, keep her temper, and, most importantly, have fun. When she goes home, her mother reinforces the lesson with the catchy phrase, "I've won if I had fun." Sally takes this message to heart and is a great sport the next day at recess, even when her team loses. Expressive, cartoon-style watercolor illustrations support the text well. The parent/teacher material in the back reminds adults that modeling good sportsmanship is just as important as teaching it to children. Useful for group and individual discussion.—Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA