His friend's kids were behaving so badly, he decided to write a book.

Chris Palzis, Punahou alum and University of Southern California film school grad, was hoping to buy a book about manners for kids, but when he realized there wasn't much out there, the film writer became an author. "The Goodness Gracious Club" is a three-book set that aims to make good manners, good sportsmanship and good grades cool and fun for 3- to 10-year-olds.

"It is my contention that rude children can be reformed," Palzis said in an e-mail. But reformation takes awareness and practice. Each book includes a section for kids to practice good manners at home with their parents or at school with teachers. The exercises include things like learning how to shake hands firmly ("not like a dead fish") and introduce yourself properly. The books are illustrated by Ron Noble, an award-winning cartoonist who worked on the show "Rugrats."

"The illustrations are deliberately very cartoonlike as to hold the kids' attention," Palzis said. "I also wrote them in rhyme to keep the kids enraptured."

It's not just about reeling in rudeness for the sake of Mama's poor nerves. Palzis emphasizes that good manners can open doors. He sees courtesy and good behavior as an extremely useful skill set that makes the world a nicer place and helps kids succeed.

"Being polite is a way of life and it never fails to open doors for you," he said.

As for his qualifications to write a book on manners, Palzis points to the way he was raised. "My grandmother, my mother and my sister made it clear to me at a very young age that I'd better be treating everyone — from every walk of life — politely and with respect."

Along with lessons on waiting your turn, saying "please" and "thank you," and not talking with food in your mouth, Palzis includes retro gestures like pulling out a chair for a lady at dinner. "Pulling out a chair for women represents to me that they are respected and special," he explained. "A simple gesture like pulling the chair out or opening the door for her embodies the old fashion values I was raised on. I was taught by my father to use these gestures with women and it began with my grandmother, mother and sister. Since then these behaviors are second nature to me and now my girlfriend appreciates it very much."

This week, Palzis is in Honolulu to give copies of his books to public libraries and to some schools and bookstores. Kids in Hawai'i are generally gentle and respectful, he says, but everyone can use a little reminder and some practice. His Web site is www.goodnessgraciousclub.com.