Sometimes I'm Bombaloo
by Rachel Vail
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When Katie Honors feels angry and out of control, her mother helps her to be herself again.Tags
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This is the story of how the delightful Katie Honors, who is usually such a well behaved and patient big sister, sometime loses it like crazy with her younger, baby brother. We see one such spaz out in in the book here, where Katie, rants and raves, hurling toys like a maniac after her little brother unwillingly knocks over her masterpiece construction.
I especially love this books firstly because of the terrific, vibrant and active illustrations that really demonstrate perfectly the various moods expressed by Katie. We see her sill and fun and happy and then raging like a hurricane. The active lines used by the illustrator show the liveliness and wildness of Katie's moments. Secondly, the message that one can lose perspective and find show more their way back to safety through acknowledgement and apology is one we all need to share and remember. show less
I especially love this books firstly because of the terrific, vibrant and active illustrations that really demonstrate perfectly the various moods expressed by Katie. We see her sill and fun and happy and then raging like a hurricane. The active lines used by the illustrator show the liveliness and wildness of Katie's moments. Secondly, the message that one can lose perspective and find show more their way back to safety through acknowledgement and apology is one we all need to share and remember. show less
Katie Honors is a happy, pleasant sister and daughter. She loves to smile and gives hugs, and forgives her brother when he knocks down her toy creations. Although, just like any child, she turns into an angry "Bombaloo" where she "shows [her] teeth, makes fierce noises..and [her] face scrunches like a monster's." After a while, she calms down and gives her brother kisses and says sorry, while her mother helps her clean up the mess she made and hugs Katie. I really enjoyed this book, because many children can relate to Katie Honors and her emotions as a child. Most children can be set off but something small and fixable, such as when a castle is knocked down. Children get angry, scream, and stomp around, and in the end they resolve the show more issue, just as Katie Honors did. I also like how this book used descriptive details that children could relate to, such as when Katie talks about her dog, penny collection, blankie, and putting her toys back where they belong, "including the ones with sixty-forty-eight small pieces." This book's central message is forgiveness. show less
Katie is a happy girl most of the time. She puts her toys away, brushes her teeth, velcros her shoes, uses her napkin, she's not whiney. But sometimes she is Bombaloo. She hits her brother, she yells, growls, smashes things. She hates everything when she is Bombaloo. She is even frightened by it, So she takes time away to think about it.
A book about a little girl Katie Honors who talk about what a sweet little girl she is. she says that she can velcro her own shoes and she can brush her teeth with out being reminded too much and that she gives excellent hugs and uses the magic word. but then she talks about how she can sometimes be Bombaloo and use her fists instead of words and stomps her feet and how when she's mad she can throw things all over even her brother. she expresses her feelings when she's bombaloo and then talks about the consequences of being bombaloo and how when she smiles she can be herself again and how her mother helps her feel better.
Ages:3-6
Source:Tacoma Head Start
Ages:3-6
Source:Tacoma Head Start
The story is far stronger than the simplistic illustrations. A wonderful story of how anger can overwhelm a young child- even when they don't want it to. Katie Honors recovers from her frustration using humor and gives the reader a safe way to talk about how scary emotions can be.
Many children have to deal with extreme tempers and this book is great way to teach kids how to deal with these extreme emotions. Katie is the main character in the book and she normally is a very nice young lady but sometimes she gets mad and is no longer Katie, but Bombalo instead. Bombalo represents any child's alternate identity when they become angry or upset. This is a story that people of all ages can relate because everybody has bad days and does things they regret out of anger.
This is a great book to talk about when things happen that make us angry. In a manner that is easily relateable for children, the author is able to let a child know that it is ok to be angry . The book is able to offer talking points about being angry and going to a place to calm down.
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Youth: Emotions & Feelings
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Author Information

66+ Works 5,031 Members
Rachel Vail, born on July 25, 1966 in Manhattan. She is an author of children's and young adult books. She grew up in New Rochelle, New York, and is a graduate of Georgetown University. Her debut novel Wonder won an Editor's Choice award from Booklist in 1991, and in 1992 her second novel, Do-Over, won that award also. She has authored several show more series which include Friendship Ring, Mama Rex and T, If We Kiss, and Avery Sisters Trilogy. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- Sometimes I'm Bombaloo
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- 705
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- Reviews
- 26
- Rating
- (4.17)
- Languages
- Dutch, English
- Media
- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 12
- ASINs
- 4




























































