The Hardest Word for Mateo
Mateo accidentally breaks Vera’s favourite kite and is too scared to say sorry.
Vera had the best kite in the whole town. It was red and gold, with a long ribbon tail. One windy afternoon, Vera let Mateo hold it for a moment. ‘Be careful,’ said Vera.
But a strong gust of wind came, and the kite flew out of Mateo’s hands. It crashed into a tree with a CRUNCH. When Mateo fetched it, he saw it was broken: the wind had knocked it into a puddle.
Mateo’s heart thumped. Vera was in the next field. Mateo could hide the kite and say nothing. He put the kite behind his back, and went home with a heavy tummy.
That night, Mateo couldn’t sleep. He told Eli the elephant everything. ‘It’s hard to say sorry,’ said Eli kindly, ‘but it’s worse to keep it inside. And I think Vera will understand.’
The next day, Mateo knocked on Vera’s door with the kite. ‘I’m so sorry,’ he said. ‘I broke it. I was too scared to tell you.’ Vera looked at Mateo, then smiled. ‘Thank you for telling me. Let’s fix it together.’
Together they mended the kite with tape and glue. It looked a bit patched, but it flew even higher than before. ‘Best kite ever,’ said Vera. And the two friends were closer than ever.
The little lesson
Saying sorry is hard, but it makes things better.
Let’s talk about it
- Why is sorry hard to say?
- How did Vera feel in the end?
Finish stories to collect Mateo as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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