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"A powerful little book for kids who say āsorryā for everything."
The Sorry Monster
A Gentle Guide to Stop People-Pleasing, and Over-Apologizing.
Some kids apologize for everything. For asking a question. For needing help. For taking up space. For having a different opinion.
Sometimes even when someone else hurt them.
The Sorry Monster is a children's book about over-apologizing, people-pleasing and learning when an apology isāand isn'tānecessary. It helps children understand that they can be caring and accountable without taking responsibility for everyone else's feelings, problems or reactions.
The Sorry Monster helps kids:
- Understand when an apology is appropriate.
- Recognize when they are apologizing for things that aren't their responsibility.
- Reduce excessive apologizing and people-pleasing.
- Stop automatically assuming they have done something wrong.
- Separate kindness from taking responsibility for other people's emotions.
- Build healthier emotional boundaries.
- Develop confidence in expressing their own needs and feelings.
- Learn that they don't have to make themselves smaller to keep everyone else happy.
AGES 5+ | PREMIUM HARDCOVER | 24 PAGES
Perfect For:
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But they should also know when they don't need to.
For needing something.
For having an opinion.
For saying no.
For taking up space.
For someone else's feelings.
Sometimes simply for being themselves.
The Sorry Monster helps children begin to recognize the difference between taking healthy responsibility for something they've done and taking responsibility for things that were never theirs to carry.
Because learning to apologize is important.
But so is learning that you don't have to make yourself smaller to keep everyone else happy.
What This Book Helps Build
Written for everyday life... and especially meaningful during difficult seasons.
Learning when to apologize... and when something isn't yours to carry... is an important skill for every child. It can become especially meaningful for kids who have learned to keep the peace, take responsibility for other people's emotions or apologize simply to make uncomfortable situations go away. The Sorry Monster helps strengthen the child without labeling or blaming anyone else.
Looking for resources specifically for difficult family dynamics? Explore my guide to books for kids dealing with a narcissistic or difficult parent.
Peek Inside!
Gentle enough for bedtime.
Powerful enough to start conversations that matter.
ā Comforting rhyme
ā Beautiful illustrations
ā A child-friendly way to talk about people-pleasing
ā Big emotional concepts kids can actually understand
The Sorry Monster gives children language for something they may be experiencing without even realizing it: The feeling that it's their job to make sure everyone else is okay.
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"This book gave us a way to talk about something we didn't even know how to name. Now my son thinks twice before apologizing for just existing."
~ Naomi, mom of 2
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"We read it weekly. Itās become part of our emotional vocabulary."
~ Luis, dad & therapist
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"As a 67 year old kid, I learned something from this book as well. Add it to your collection, you will be so glad you did."
~ Lisa, Mom and Grandma
Especially the ones who sometimes care for everyone except themselves.
The Sorry Monster can be especially helpful for children who:
Apologize constantly
Worry about disappointing people
Have difficulty saying no
Feel responsible for other people's emotions
Avoid conflict at all costs
Need lots of reassurance
Struggle to express what they want
Change themselves to fit in
Feel guilty when someone is upset
Have difficulty maintaining boundaries
It can also be meaningful for children navigating family changes, difficult relationships or environments where they have become especially sensitive to other people's moods and reactions.
But your child doesn't have to be struggling to benefit from it.
Knowing how to apologize sincerely without automatically accepting responsibility for everything is an emotional life skill every child deserves.
a note from the author
I Wrote This for My Own Child.
I didn't write The Sorry Monster because I wanted my child to stop apologizing.
I wrote it because I watched my own child begin apologizing for things that weren't hers to apologize for.
For having feelings. For needing something. For someone else being unhappy. For taking up space.
And I wanted her to understand a lesson that many of us don't learn until adulthood:
Being kind doesn't require abandoning yourself.
And you can stop saying sorry for things that were never yours to carry.
That's how The Sorry Monster began.
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"A powerful little book for kids who say āsorryā for everything."
The Sorry-Not-Sorry Bundle
Help Them Learn When to Say āI'm Sorryā... And When They Don't Need To.
The Sorry Not Sorry Bundle pairs The Sorry Monster hardcover book with The Sorry Monster Coloring Book to help kids understand an important difference:
Taking responsibility when you've done something wrong is healthy.
Believing everything is your fault isn't.
AGES 5+ | PREMIUM HARDCOVER BOOK AND PAPERBACK COLORING BOOK
Perfect For:
š¦ In stock & ships in 2ā3 business days
Don't Stop at People Pleasing
Give them the complete emotional toolkit.
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The Complete Children's Healing Collection
The Ultimate 8-Book Bundle
Four Powerful Healing Books + Four Stress-Relieving Coloring Books
Give your child a complete collection of gentle tools for big emotions, boundaries, confidence, resilience, people-pleasing and self-worthāwith four powerful stories and four companion coloring books that help the messages continue long after storytime ends.
AGES 5+
4 PREMIUM HARDCOVER READING BOOKS
4 PREMIUM PAPERBACK COLORING BOOKS
Perfect For:
š¦ In stock & ships in 2ā3 business days
Save when you add the Teen Bundle Teen Healing Bundle.
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
What age is The Sorry Monster for?
The Sorry Monster is designed for ages 5 and up, but the meaning intentionally grows with the reader.
Younger children connect with the story, illustrations and simple idea of recognizing when an apology isāand isn'tāneeded. Older kids and teens can begin recognizing deeper patterns involving guilt, approval, boundaries, responsibility and people-pleasing.
It's simple enough for a young child to understand, but the message isn't childish.
Will this work for an older child or teen?
Yes. In many ways, the message becomes even more relevant as children get older.
Tweens and teens are navigating friendships, peer pressure, identity, boundaries and an increasing desire to belong. They may apologize, agree, stay quiet or change themselves simply to avoid upsetting someone or being rejected.
Older readers are able to look beyond the āSorry Monsterā itself and recognize the pattern it represents.
The question becomes less about āShould I say sorry?ā and more about:
āAm I actually responsible for this?ā
Is this book trying to teach children not to apologize?
Absolutely not.
A sincere apology is an important part of empathy, accountability and healthy relationships.
The Sorry Monster helps children understand the difference between taking responsibility when they've actually done something wrong and automatically apologizing because another person is unhappy, disappointed or uncomfortable.
The goal isn't fewer meaningful apologies.
It's fewer apologies for simply having feelings, needs, opinions and boundaries.
Is this book only for children who are people-pleasers?
No.
While The Sorry Monster can be especially helpful for children who apologize excessively or worry about keeping everyone happy, the underlying lessons are useful for all children.
Understanding responsibility, boundaries, empathy, self-worth and when an apology is appropriate are valuable relationship skills that children can carry into adolescence and adulthood.
Is the book gender-neutral?
Yes. The lessons aren't based on a particular gender, parent or family structure.
The Sorry Monster doesn't label or blame anyone in the child's life. Instead, the focus remains on helping children recognize their own feelings, choices, boundaries and responsibilities.
That makes the book useful across many different family situations.
What size and format is the book?
The Sorry Monster is a 6 in x9 in, 24-page premium hardcover children's book, created to be durable enough to read, revisit, and keep as children grow.
It's designed to feel like a special book worth keeping on the shelfānot a disposable workbook or pamphlet.
How quickly will my order ship?
Orders generally ship within 2ā3 business days when the book is in stock.
Once your order ships, you'll receive tracking information so you can follow it on its way to you.
Can this book be used by therapists, teachers, counselors, or other professionals?
Yes. The Sorry Monstercan be a wonderful conversation starter for therapists, counselors, teachers, social workers, and other professionals working with children.
The book introduces concepts like responsibility, guilt, boundaries, people-pleasing and self-worth in approachable language without diagnosing children or telling them how they should feel about the people in their lives.
That gives the trusted adult room to explore the child's individual experience.
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