Customer Reviews

Beautiful Me

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In BEAUTIFUL ME, Wanda Thomas introduces us to Shanika and a group of her girlfriends. As the school day ends, the girls decide to play double dutch. Shanika, the only girl with a suitable jump rope, rushes home to retrieve her rope. After the girls have played for a while, Shanika realizes that it is time for her to go home, and reluctantly tells the girls that she must take her rope. The rest of the girls lash out at her and begin calling her "ugly." Shanika arrives at home, hurt by the mean-spirited chants of her classmates. It isn't until she does a careful self-assessment that she reassures herself that she is beautiful and that her friends didn't really think she was ugly, but rather they were disappointed that their game had to end.

Wanda Thomas reminds young girls that brown skin is beautiful and everyone should appreciate their own unique beauty. Like Handsome Me, the companion book targeted towards young boys, BEAUTIFUL ME is a welcome addition to African-American Children's literature. The only disappointing aspect of the book is that it tends to oversimplify the strong impact peers can have on self-image. In addition, once Shanika begins to doubt herself, it seemed unrealistic for her to get over it so quickly. Still, I recommend the book because of its positive message and its potential usefulness as a tool to prepare children for teasing before such incidents occur.

Reviewed by Stacey Seay
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers