Martha Doesn't Share!

by Samantha Berger

Overview

Martha has a new favorite word.
And that word is MINE!

Martha has officially mastered apologizing. Unfortunately, she still has a lot to work on when it comes to sharing. And while she doesn't learn to love it, she does discover that having her toys to herself means having to play with them all by herself, too. Not so fun!

This hilarious follow-up to Martha doesn't say sorry! shows readers that sharing isn't all that bad when you take it one (small) toy at a time--like Martha does. It gets easier every day. Well, almost every day.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316186735
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	02/11/2011
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Samantha Berger has written picture books including What If..., Crankenstein and A Crankenstein Valentine, Witch Spa, Snoozefest, Santa's Reindeer Games, and Martha Doesn't Say Sorry, which won a Parent's Choice Award Honor. When she isn't writing, she's doing voice-overs, traveling the world, and helping rescue dogs. Samantha splits her time between New York City and California.

Editorial Reviews

In addition to not saying sorry, Martha the otter has little interest in sharing ("Martha has a new favorite word, and that word is... Mine!"). When Martha refuses to play nice, her parents and brother leave her to play alone, and she soon discovers that "it's hard to ping when you don't have someone to pong." Accompanied by Whatley's expressive pencils and watercolors, Berger quietly reminds readers that sharing, while sometimes difficult, is more fun. Ages 3-6. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Martha (her new favorite word is "mine") is more than a bit reluctant to share her toys with her baby brother. Solution? Her family ostracizes her until she capitulates. Martha is an appealingly expressive and self-possessed preschool sea otter, and the lineup of items she calls "mine" is quite funny (a lava lamp, a cupcake, a potted plant, a chair, all the teddy bears). As rendered by Whatley, her family is nicely rounded and their expressions patient and loving. The text is simple, nicely paced and to the point: " 'K, Maffa,' says Edwin as he waddles away." But the resolution is a bit flat-footed, coming after Martha is left to think about sharing: "She thinks and thinks and thinks about it." This thinking approach would seem to be a developmental unlikelihood for a preschooler as young as Martha. Young listeners who don't simply feel sorry for the lesson imposed on her may feel manipulated or even slightly outraged on her behalf. Still, for Martha's fans or for parents looking for a book to help deliver a message, this may be just the ticket. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews