Not Sorry To Be Me (Paperback or Softback)

Golden Scroll Children’s Picture Book of the Year, 2026
AWA Children’s Book International Award
New York State Senate Commendation Award

A heartwarming, beautifully illustrated rhyming picture book about finding friendship in spite of our differences and celebrating the unique gifts we each have to offer.

Sorry the cockatoo is different from the other birds in the forest. His special gift allows him to perceive the world in vivid colors, while others can only see in black and white and gray. His vibrant world can be overwhelming for him to navigate, and he ends up apologizing-a lot! Fed up with his unusual and annoying behavior, his peers subsequently reject him, missing out on the unique perspective he has to offer. Sorry wonders if he'll ever have a friend, until one kind, curious bird comes along and asks to see Sorry's world through his eyes. From this shared understanding, a friendship is forged, and two lives are forever changed.

As Sorry and his new friend discover the joys of new connections and perspectives, young readers will understand that we are each created perfectly-just as we are-and no-one should ever have to apologize for simply being themselves.

As well as raising two spectacular daughters, Vicki Bentley is a writer, editor, special educational teaching aide, and former speech and language therapist. As the parent of a neurodiverse child, she passionately encourages parents and children to delight in one another's differences and embrace a more accepting, inclusive-and colorful-world! You can find her online at www.vicki-bentley.com.

Isla Bentley has been reading and writing stories since she was old enough to hold a pencil and her imagination knows no bounds. She counts Autism and ADHD among her superpowers and wants all children to know that it's okay to be different-in fact, it's amazing.

Hiruni Kariyawasam grew up in Sri Lanka, a land full of sunshine, birds, and butterflies. Ever since she was little, she dreamed of filling the world with colors. She later studied Fashion Design at the University of Moratuwa, but her heart always belonged to painting. Today, with her watercolor brushes, she paints pictures that sparkle with joy, love, and magic bringing smiles to children everywhere. Hiruni has also worked with nearly sixty authors from all around the world, helping their stories come alive with her art. You can see more of her colorful creations on Instagram: hiru_k96