What Can I Say?
Catherine Newman
Another acclaimed work by Catherine Newman
How to Be a Person
A funny, practical, illustrated handbook that teaches kids roughly eight to twelve the everyday skills, from chores to apologies, that make them capable, considerate, and less dependent on reminders.
What It's About
How to Be a Person is a practical skills manual written directly to kids, covering the small, unglamorous competencies that adults often assume children will simply absorb. Catherine Newman, a parenting writer and etiquette columnist, breaks 65 skills into short, illustrated entries. Some are household basics like doing laundry, cleaning a bathroom, or cooking a simple meal. Others are social, such as calling someone on the phone, writing a thank-you note, apologizing well, or standing up for a friend.
The format does a lot of the work. Each skill gets a page or two of step-by-step instructions paired with comic-style panels, so a kid can flip to a topic, follow along, and actually do the thing. Newman's voice is warm and jokey without talking down to readers. She frames these skills as a way to earn independence and feel good about yourself, not as a list of rules.
Reading it feels less like a lecture and more like getting tips from a cool, slightly irreverent adult. Many families use it as a reference rather than reading it cover to cover. A child might pick one new skill a week, or a parent might hand it over when a particular chore becomes a recurring fight. It works well as a shared project, and it is easy for an independent reader to browse alone.
Read this if you…
- want a kid-friendly way to teach chores and life skills without constant nagging
- have a child around eight to twelve who likes comics, how-to books, or independence
- value manners and empathy as much as practical household know-how
Skip it if you…
- are looking for a story or narrative rather than a reference-style how-to guide
- need in-depth coverage for teens, like money management, jobs, or driving
Key Ideas
- 1
Competence builds confidence
Newman's underlying argument is that kids feel better about themselves when they can actually handle things. Knowing how to fix a snack, sort laundry, or make a phone call gives children a sense of capability and self-respect. The book presents these skills as a source of pride and freedom rather than as burdens imposed by grown-ups.
- 2
Household chores, broken into steps
Tasks like making a bed, loading a dishwasher, folding clothes, or cleaning up after a meal are split into small, concrete steps with illustrations. This removes the vague 'just clean your room' problem. Kids get clear instructions they can follow without an adult hovering, which makes it easier for families to hand over real responsibility.
- 3
Social skills are skills too
Alongside chores, the book treats kindness and communication as things you can practice. Entries cover apologizing sincerely, writing thank-you notes, talking on the phone, meeting new people, and supporting someone who is being picked on. Newman shows that being considerate is learnable behavior, not just a personality trait.
- 4
Humor makes advice stick
The tone is playful throughout, with jokes, silly asides, and comic-style art. That lightness matters: kids are more likely to read and remember instructions that feel fun rather than scolding. The humor also signals that making mistakes while learning is normal and nothing to be embarrassed about.
Limitations
The book is broad rather than deep: each skill gets a quick treatment, so some topics, especially cooking and social situations, feel brief. Its assumptions reflect a fairly typical middle-class household (dishwashers, certain appliances, particular routines), which may not match every family. Older teens may find it too young in tone, while very young children will need an adult's help. It works best as a starting point and a conversation opener, not a complete curriculum, and it depends on parents actually letting kids practice.
Questions Readers Ask
- What age is How to Be a Person best for?
- It is generally aimed at kids around eight to twelve. Confident younger readers can use it with help, and the comic-style layout makes it accessible to reluctant readers. Older teens may find some content too basic, though the household skills are useful at any age if a kid has never been taught them.
- Is there a follow-up focused on social skills?
- Yes. Catherine Newman later wrote What Can I Say?, a companion book that focuses specifically on communication and social situations. If your child enjoys the friendship and manners sections of How to Be a Person, that book goes further into handling conversations, conflicts, and tricky social moments.
- Will my kid actually read it on their own?
- Many kids do, because the entries are short, funny, and heavily illustrated, making it easy to browse. That said, it tends to work best when a parent connects it to real practice, such as choosing a skill together and then letting the child try it at home.
- Published
- 2020
- ISBN
- 9781635861822
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Category
- Children's Books
Book details and cover from Google Books.
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