"Mike, tthe Boy Who Should Be Very Sorry"

I worked many years at a state psychiatric hospital with adolescents who used to argue and fight with peers. about unfairness, or what they perceived it to be. Many were reading at beginner levels.

"Once upon a time there was a boy who wanted to play with kids, but they didn't want to play with him.

You see, Mike got mad when he didn't win a game. he was a sore loser.

The other kids did not like the sore loser, because he got angry and sometimes hit them.  Mike decided to cheat so he could win more games. 

"ill have friends now because I will not be a sore loser. I will win almost every game I play, and I won't ever hit anyone again!"

"I won! I won! I am so proud of myself. I always win," he bragged.

"I caught you cheating at checkers," A boy got into his face.

"And I caught you cheating at Spades", jeered another boy.  "

You won't have any friends. we don't like cheaters."

Mike did not believe that they saw him cheat. He just decided that they were jealous.  He began to boast, "I'm great at every game I play. Ha!"

Then the light blue sky turned black, and he jumped back in surprise. A mop popped out of the air and pointed to Mike, "You'd better stop bragging and cheating or you will be sorry!"

"Go away, talking mop," Mike laughed.

Suddenly, the Mike we knew turned into a crow.

The mop giggled, "To brag means to crow. Now, you are a crow.  Good luck!"

Author's Note

I wrote this because of the above. Some of the adolescents who could barely read enjoyed this picture book because they could relate!