I Don't Know Why--- I Guess I'm Shy : A story about taming imaginary fears [Hardcover]

Barbara Cain (Author), J. J. Smith-Moore (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2000 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

This lighthearted story will show children that shy feelings don't hav e to get in the way of having fun and making friends. Sammy Samson is shy...too shy to speak to kind Mr. Miller, who used to be his bird-wa tching buddy, or to friendly Mr. Daniels, the ice cream man. But one d ay, when Sammy's beloved dog Sparky gets lost, Sammy forgets all about his shyness and can think only of finding his missing pup. Soon enoug h, he's talking to everyone!

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 29 pages
• Publisher: Magination Press; 1 edition (January 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557985960
• ISBN-13: 978-1557985965
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #127,111 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A helpful model for shy kids?, July 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: I Don't Know Why--- I Guess I'm Shy : A story about taming imaginary fears (Hardcover)

This book tells the story of Sammy, a shy little boy whose dog runs away. To find Sparky, Sammy asks a number of grownups (people he would ordinarily be too shy to talk to) if they have seen his dog. This pays off, and Sammy finds his pet. The experience of approaching people and asking for help is meant to provide a successful model: The child hearing or reading the story is supposed to learn that talking to people doesn't have terrible consequences. The story and illustrations are appealing, and may be helpful to some shy children. There is also a brief essay to provide adults with information about shyness in children; it includes exercises parents can use. There is, however, one problem with the book: The fact is that talking to grownups DOES sometimes have terrible consequences for children. Kids who are trusting and approach adults are at increased risk of becoming victims of child molesters. (In fact, one tactic molesters use to lure children away is to ask them for help in finding a lost pet-- a situation very close to the one in the story.) There are, in other words, good reasons for children to be wary of adults. Parents will have to ask themselves whether their child's shyness is so severe that they need to intervene, or whether to be glad that the child is behaving in a way that may make him safer in a dangerous world.