Way Past Shame

Written by Hallee Adelman

Illustrated by Karen Wall

(Albert Whitman & Co., 2025)

Have you ever said or done something that you felt ashamed of doing? Oh, boy. I sure have. Kids have some of the same experiences but often don’t know what to do about it, what to say, or even what it is that they are feeling.

Enter Hallee Adelman, author of several social emotional learning (SEL) picture books. Hallee’s books are just right for helping young readers (and listeners) identify their feelings, give name to those feelings, talk about the feelings, and consider things they can do about the situations they find themselves in.

Hooper feels so much shame for something he did that he wants to hide. He is not happy with what he did. But he doesn’t know what to do.

With a compelling story and colorful illustrations, Way Past Shame lets readers experience Hooper’s feelings and discover what he does about those feelings as he finds a way past shame.

Hallee has an entire series of Way Past Books (see the sticker above, I’ve Got Great Big Feelings, for a list of all 10). She provides lesson plans for each on her website. Check out the great resources and ideas she sent me with a copy of Way Past Shame. Stickers, magnet words for a magnetic dry erase board, button, stickers, Any Way You Slice It game with actions to do with those feelings, and a lesson plan.

I’ve read several of Hallee’s books, and I wish I had them when I was a teacher. They would make great resources for families, teachers, and counselors. Each topic is an open door to begin discussing different situations and feelings.

Thank you, Hallee, for sending me a copy of this just right book and all the special tools to use with it! I love the personalized notes too!

I have featured Hallee a couple of times on the blog. Read more:

Way Past Worried

The Strongest Thing, When Home Feels Hard

Amazon Blurb:

Hooper and Bax are the final two competitors in the school spelling bee. Bax didn’t spell his word correctly, and now it’s Hooper’s turn. He’s sure he knows how to spell the word he’s given, but the pressure of all those eyes on him makes him second guess his answer. Hooper looks around the room and spots the word on a poster. Now he has a decision to make: will he tell someone about what he’s seen, or take the easy win?