Ouch Moments: When Words Are Used in Hurtful Ways

Gold medal winner, Mom's Choice Awards
Silver medal, 2016 Nautilus Awards
2nd place, Picture Books ages 6 & older, 2016 Purple Dragonfly Award
Honorable Mention, EUREKA! Excellence in Children's Nonfiction Award
Winner of a 2016 Family Choice Award

“Genhart clearly articulates how, when bullying occurs, it can be hard to know what to do. He encourages readers to avoid responding in kind, practice kindness (both to themselves and others), and talk to adults. It’s a solid resource for conflict meditation in clinical or school settings.” – Publisher’s Weekly

“People of all ages can learn and grow from the message of this offering. A great addition to collections.” —School Library Journal

“Children will learn strategies that will empower them to stand up to insults and hurtful language. This is a book that all children can identify with because they have been on both sides, as the perpetrator and receiver. Genhart also helps kids to recognize their own hurtful language in a way that doesn’t shame.” —Children’s Books Heal

“Ouch Moments is published by Magination Press, an arm of the American Psychological Association. Their books stand on firm ground. The multicultural illustrations are engaging and feature diverse circumstances. This would be an excellent read for the entire family; sometimes even adults need to be reminded of the important lessons Ouch Moments strives to teach. This book includes an informative and practical ‘Note to Parents and Caregivers.’” —GayleHSwift.com

Ouch Moments shows kids who is affected by hurtful words: the target, the mean kid, and bystanders. 

Microaggressions or “ouch moments,” as they are referred to in the story, are brief exchanges where an indignity, insult, or slight is expressed—whether intentionally or not—from one person to another. For instance, when children use words like “lame” or “gay” to mean that something is bad, weird, or different, they communicate a message that having a disability or being part of LGBT community is equal to being bad, weird, or different. Children likely are not trying to be hurtful; they may just be repeating words that they have heard in the past and may not realize the discriminatory connotations.

Young people have a wonderful capacity to care about each other. However, they need guidance, mentoring, and modeling from adults to understand the impact of their words and behaviors. Ouch Moments: When Words Are Used in Hurtful Ways explains these "ouch moments" in kid-friendly terms, offers practical strategies for what kids can do to help, and empowers kids to stand up to mean and hurtful language.

A Note to Parents and Caregivers by Kevin L. Nadal, PhD, provides more information about microaggressions, and strategies for talking to children about hurtful language, discrimination, and bias.

Excerpt:

When a bee stings, Ouch! That hurts!

When your finger gets caught in a closing door, that hurts a lot.

Hearing a mean or hurtful word hurts a lot, too. When other kids say something mean or hurtful, it is hard to know what to do.

K-Gr 3—Published by an imprint of the American Psychological Association, this book on verbal bullying may fill a weak spot in many collections. This text looks at both sides of the issue: bullying and being bullied. Readers will consider how it feels to be made fun of, what to do if they or those they know are being hurt by someone's words, and how to talk to themselves about words people may say about them. The cartoonlike illustrations are a good fit for the book's intended audience, clearly showing typical settings and situations and the emotional reactions of those people the "ouch" words are inflicted on. An extensive note to parents provides more insight into microaggressions and how they are aimed toward marginalized groups, a practice continuing into adulthood. There is potential here for meaningful parent-child discussions and for kids and adults to examine their own actions and reactions in these moments. This title is reminiscent of the American Girl self-help books in tone, but for a younger audience. VERDICT People of all ages can learn and grow from the message of this offering. A great addition to collections.—Paige Mellinger, Gwinnett County Public Libraries, Lillburn, GA

Michael Genhart, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in San Francisco and Mill Valley, California, is the authorof numerous books for children including Ouch Moments and the Books for Nourishing Friendships Series. He lives with his family in Marin County. He received his BA in psychology from the University of California, San Diego and his PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park. Visit Dr. Genhart at www.michaelgenhart.com and follow him on Facebook: @picturebookauthor.

Viviana Garofoli was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she currently lives with her husband, Sergio, and two daughters, April and Emma. In 1995, she graduated from Escuela Nacional de Bellas Artes Prilidiano Pueyrredón with a degree in fine arts. Over the last 15 years, she has illustrated more than 20 children's books and contributed many editorial and textbook illustrations in Argentina and Puerto Rico.