In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
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In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle

In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle

In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle

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What's Included in the Instructional Bundle:
Instant Digital Download
Everything needed to read, teach, reinforce, and extend the social-emotional learning experience.

Narrated Interactive eBook:
Hear It, See It, Follow Along
A beautifully illustrated, narrated reading experience with highlighted text. Designed to engage young learners, it helps children connect spoken language to printed words while building comprehension, vocabulary, and reading confidence.

Instructional Guide:
Teaching Strategies that Extend Learning
A practical teaching guide that helps educators, caregivers, counselors, and families extend learning through discussion prompts, reflection questions, and engaging Stop & Talk activities. Designed to deepen children's understanding of the social-emotional concepts explored in the story and encourage meaningful conversations that connect learning to everyday life.

Read & Color Activity Pages:
Creative Engagement that Reinforces Learning
Printable coloring pages inspired by the story encourage creativity, active participation, and personal reflection while reinforcing key themes, comprehension, and social-emotional learning concepts.

Story Video:
Watch, Listen, and Learn
A professionally narrated video presentation of the story uses gentle motion effects and engaging visuals to bring the book to life while supporting comprehension, active listening, and emotional connection. Your purchase includes an easy-access viewing link, plus an optional downloadable version for offline viewing.

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In Our School, We Are Not Cruel

Community means keeping each other safe. 

When we notice our emotions, manage our fear, and act with kindness, we can build a safe and caring community. At the beginning of the story, Rabbit feels scared of her classmates. But together, they learn that self-regulation, shared understanding, and kindness can transform anxiety and fear into trust and connection. A safe, respectful, and supportive community is possible when everyone cares for one another, works together, and practices social awareness. 

In Our School, We Are Not Cruel, along with the four other stories in SEL Collection 1, uses the timeless power of the fable to provide a framework for exploring feelings through listening, observing, guided discussions, and self-expression. All stories highlight all five core SEL competencies, helping children to discover how to navigate the world and grow with and in support of others. Charming animal characters invite children into the stories, letting reflection and learning flow naturally. 

The Instructional Practice

  1. Literature-Based Discovery: By seeing how Mrs. Racoon manages her class and helps her students understand each other, children observe how consideration for one another creates a classroom where everyone feels safe and included. 
  2. Social-Emotional Connection: By sharing personal experiences about feeling included or excluded, children build a sense of empathy and belonging while exploring how their own feelings connect to those of the characters.
  3. Vocabulary Integration: Using Key Idea Words, children develop emotional literacy by finding, acting out, and writing about words that give shape and meaning to their inner lives.
  4. Active Inquiry: Guided discussion, collaborative storytelling, and creative activities inspire children to learn from one another as they discover that community trust and safety can help everyone to feel more connected. 

Product Details

  • Title: In Our School, We Are Not Cruel - Bundle
  • Author: Jon Madian
  • Guided Reading Age: 3-8
  • Independent Reading Age: 8-9
  • Themes: Social-Emotional Learning, Social Awareness, Safety, Community
  • Format: Comprehensive Instructional Package
product.title
  • Social-Emotional Learning

    Social-Emotional Learning

    Builds emotional intelligence and self-awareness through gentle storytelling
  • Seeding Discussions

    Seeding Discussions

    Thoughtful prompts based in educational research support meaningful conversations
  • Multi-Format Access

    Multi-Format Access

    Supports all reading levels with narrated audio, highlighted read-along text, and video
  • Expert Developed

    Expert Developed

    Created by dedicated reading specialists with proven classroom success

What Parents and Teachers Are Saying

The work that Heart Bright Learning is doing to support a balanced approach to reading has helped me understand how the fundamental elements of reading work together, with and beyond phonics. I have found learning about the Science of Reading to be overwhelming, but the synthesis that Heart Bright Learning provides, both in their instructional blogs and in the integrated, science-based materials that they produce for early readers, have been very helpful to my continued learning as an educator.

Kara Morrison

Primary School Teacher, Bridgewood Primary School, Melbourne, Australia

Frequently Asked Questions

What age group is this fable best suited for, and can it be used across mixed-age groups?

Designed for ages 3–9, the read-aloud format suits ages 3–8 and the independent reading version ages 8–9. Beginning and independent readers can be paired together for shared learning.

How does the story teach children about the importance of safety in their classroom?

As we hear from all of the animals in the story about what safety means to them, children will realize how a shared understanding and shared commitment to each other helps to build a safe, caring community.

What SEL competency does In Our School, We Are Not Cruel focus on?

The primary focus is Social Awareness, but all five SEL competencies are woven throughout — Self-Awareness, Responsible Decision-Making, Relationship Skills, and Self-Management are all modeled through the character’s interactions.

How does the Stop&Talk eBook work?

Discussion prompts are layered directly into the story, inviting children to pause and reflect as the narrative unfolds. An SEL Outcome Table included in the Instructional Guide helps parents and educators connect each prompt to specific competencies for deeper lesson planning.

How can I use the Read&Color Booklet at home?

Children color each page to reflect how the story makes them feel, then discuss their choices with a caregiver. Simple follow-up questions help reinforce the story's message beyond the classroom.

My child is a beginning reader — which resource is the best starting point?

The Listen&Enjoy eBook, with its illustrated story and audio narration, requires no reading fluency. The Read&Color Booklet is a natural next step.

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About the Author

Jon Madian

About the Author

Jon Madian

Jon, an educational psychologist, and his wife, Karen, an instructional designer, received numerous grants to support learner-centered education throughout their careers. He founded the Artist-in-Residence Reading Project in Los Angeles’s inner-city schools and later co-founded Humanities Software with Karen. Their early literacy curriculum became part of Apple’s early learning initiatives and IBM’s writing programs. Over the course of their careers, Jon and Karen developed more than 100 reading, writing, and process-based programs for print and software, consistently focusing on empowering and inspiring students in educational settings. Their 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild continue to fuel their commitment to enriching education. Today, through Heart Bright Learning, they are helping parents and teachers reimagine education for the 21st century by developing resources that inspire and empower children to understand themselves, others, and their world through observation, reflection, and process-based learning.