Stories for Growing
Cover of Rita and Ralph’s Rotten DayAges 3 to 6
ForgivenessMaking things right

Rita and Ralph’s Rotten Day

Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Pete Oswald

Ages 3 to 6
About this age guidance

Kirkus: 3–6

The age tag follows Kirkus review. Other sources may suggest different ages. This is audience guidance, not an independent reading level.

Recommended by a mother of three for talking about forgiveness.

A familiar friendship is disrupted by a game that causes an injury. Traveling back and forth while angry produces poor attempts to make up. After time apart, the children reconnect. The story keeps the difficulty of apologizing visible.

Good forApologizingForgiving someone

Recommended by ParentMap

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What children see in the story

Early attempts to reconnect do not work; renewed contact later gives the friendship another chance. Forgiveness takes a process, not just a required phrase. An injury creates a real need to make amends, and the attempts show why an apology’s manner matters.

Why it’s on these shelves

Forgiveness
A game with sticks and stones leaves Rita with a hurt head. Ralph’s apology fails because he arrives cranky, and Rita’s visit doesn’t fix things either, but after an unhappy night the friends find their way back together.
Making things right
Ralph sets out to apologize after the game that hurt Rita’s head, but he arrives cranky and it doesn’t work. The story keeps the difficulty of a good apology in view.

Why pick it up?

The friends make their way back to each other after unsuccessful attempts.

A note for parents

Kirkus calls Rita’s return an apology; the teacher guide describes asking for a pinecone back. This record does not merge those into a detailed invented exchange.

Where this recommendation comes from

ParentMap

Recommended by a mother of three for talking about forgiveness.

Read Allison Sutcliffe’s recommendation
Sources and review status

We have checked source descriptions and drafted the value mapping. We have not personally reviewed the full book. The value labels, situation assignments, and parent notes remain provisional.

Publisher or literacy resource · Original recommendation

Our explanation of the value fit is separate from the original reviewer’s judgment. Their inclusion here does not imply an endorsement of Stories for Growing.

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