Customer Reviews

I Like Myself!

5 star:		(49)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book should be soaked up by parents everywhere. What a beautiful world this would be if all adults had the self-confidence of the little girl in I Like Myself! The illustrations are wonderful and the rhyme is divine. Treat yourself to a splendid book and give yourself a big hug and say, "I like myself!"

As a mother of two who teaches, and received a bachelor's degree in literature, this is one of the first children's books I have come across that I can recommend without reservation. Even though the story is about a girl, my sons love it! It's wonderfully illustrated, and when we read it, we giggle at the pictures and the silly ideas. The best thing about this book is that through the silliness the words reinforce a message about self-esteem that cannot be repeated enough! They love it, I love it!

An ode to self-acceptance told in simple rhyme. Story tells reader that what matters is deep inside. For example, "No matter if they stop and stare, no person ever anywhere can make me feel that what they see is all there really is to me." Catrow's illustrations are lively and loving. Karen Woodworth-Roman

I Like Myself! is the first book to receive the Wanda Gág Book Award for the year's best picture book to read aloud to younger children, up to age eight.

An African American girl energetically celebrates her uniqueness. Beaumont's rhyming text describes a confident, joyful, and silly child who appreciates everything about herself. Catrow's colorful surrealistic illustrations, created with watercolor, ink, pencil, and collage, playfully interpret and extend the story. For instance, the illustration of the girl and her pet dog splashing in a bird bath adds another dimension to the text:

I may be called a silly nut
or crazy cuckoo bird-so what?
I'm having too much fun, you see,
for anything to bother me!

The book delighted preschoolers through second graders, who asked to have the book read again and again. They laughed and giggled at the pictures and found something that captivated them on every page. They also enjoyed the rhyming text and commented: "I like myself, too."

I stumbled on this book by accident on a child development site for professionals in couseling and therapy. Now I've given this book over 30 times. To every person I know having a baby, boy or girl. I've given it to people who have new foster children. I even plan to give it away at my wedding as favors to my young guests.

All the parents I've given it to call to talk about how much their kids love this book. I've heard time and time again that their children ask to have this read over and over. One friend had a baby as young as 11 months and said that her son would listen to the story 5 times in a row. And when she wouldn't read it anymore the boy would go to his dad and hold up the book for him to read. She said he never sat for a reading of any other book in it entirety. Perhaps it is the fun, rythmic text that this little guy loves. (Like Dr. Suess- but...and I can't believe I'm saying this...but even BETTER!) He seems a bit young to grasp the true meaning of the words. But how wonderful to have this message somewhere in his subconscience!

Older kids truely grasp the meaning and comment on how others may have made them feel badly about themselves. This book opens up dialogue between parent and child. It has been especially great for a little girl suffering from limb differences and a little boy with cerebral palsy. They really liked hearing and eventually began to believe that "no one ever anywhere can make me think that what they see is all there really is to me."

While no book by itself can give a child self-esteem (succesful experiences do that) it can be a powerful reinforcer. This book plants the seeds of self-love and respect. Plus, the pictures by political cartoonist David Catrow (the purple polka-dotted lips, and the morning hair!) are just so wacky and funny that the kids can not stop laughing.

We all feel good, really good, after reading this story. It's one I don't mind reading over and over. I can't say that about most children's books. I recommend this book without reservation. Buy it...you will not regret this purchase.

My 8 year old daughter strives for acceptance as many other children...she has no scars or other outstanding characteristics but lives in a world where grown women compete in The Swan, and beauty is more and more defined as being merely skin deep as evidenced by the increasing number of plastic surgeries performed. This book teaches, in oh, so gentle a manner, that we are all different and beauty comes from within. An engaging read, it teaches without preaching and cleverly lets children know that the first key to success is liking YOURSELF. It doesn't do a bad job at reminding adults of that fact, either.

I bought this book for a little one in my family, and it was read to the children at our family Christmas gathering. Even the youngest, my daughter's baby, paid attention to the words, and to the illustrations. The little girl I bought it for kept tracing her fingers over the illustrations, and she loved the words. The message in the book is so uplifting. This is a beautiful, lively book. Every teacher should have this in their classroom, and every parent should read it to the little ones in their family.

This is a great book. The message is so important and it is presented in a funny humorous way that kids can relate to. I think anyone who has kids should get this book.

The first time I read this book I fell in love. I immediately went out and bought two copies to give away to friends. The rhyming text is so much fun and the illustrations are adorable. It sends a perfect message to any child (and hopefully some adults). I'm always pulling this book off the shelf at work (library) and displaying so it will get checked out as much as possible.

I read this book to my preschoolers and then went and bought a copy for myself so I could read it to all the adults that I know. Too many people don't see what a jewel that they are. We were never meant to all look the same and we should appreciate who we are, individually.

And it's always fun to pull out this book when I'm with a group of adults and tell them I'm going to "read them a story." :-)