This post was brought to you in partnership with JIMMY Patterson Books. Thoughts are my own.
With three boys in the house, there’s plenty of squabbling and noise. From gentle reminders about not saying mean things to acting as referee when a wrestling match breaks out, I’m often in the middle. But I also get to witness small, magical moments — laughter as they play a game together without fighting, or my youngest climbing into bed with his big brother to snuggle. Those moments remind me how special sibling relationships are, even when parenting three kids can be challenging. One of my favorite recent scenes is middle son Warren reading to his little brother, Wesley.
Reading is part of our nightly routine. Now that my two oldest are 10 and 8, they often read by themselves in bed while I usually read to Wesley, who is 4. For the past few months Warren has been asking several times a week if he can read to Wes. He wants to read to him. On nights when I’m extra busy, having Warren help with bedtime has been a big help. Our latest addition to the bookshelf is Give Please a Chance by Bill O’Reilly and James Patterson. We’re fans of Patterson, so I was glad to add another of his books to our collection.
Warren was pleased to have a new book to read to Wes, and I enjoyed watching them spend that quiet, meaningful time together.
In this inspired collaboration, bestselling authors Bill O’Reilly and James Patterson remind us all that a single word—”Please?”—is useful in a thousand different ways. From finding a lovable stray dog to needing a partner on a seesaw, from reading a bedtime story to really, really needing a cookie, Give Please a Chance depicts scenes and situations in which one small word can move mountains. With a vivid array of illustrations by seventeen different artists, this charming, helpful book is a fun and memorable way for children to learn the magic power of one simple word: please.
The illustrations, created by different artists, are absolutely adorable and are our favorite feature. Both my boys enjoy pointing out small details in the pictures. The text is simple and not wordy, but the variety of scenes sparks conversation. Teaching manners — especially saying please and thank you — matters a lot to our family. Wesley usually remembers, but it’s helpful to have repeated, playful examples that encourage polite language without direct prompting.
I’ve always encouraged reading in our home, but I love that I didn’t have to suggest Warren spend this kind of time with Wesley — no please required!
Give Please a Chance is a wonderful addition to any preschooler’s library and makes a thoughtful gift for the holidays or any time you want to reinforce kindness and good manners.