I Like Me! (Viking Kestrel picture books) [Hardcover]

Nancy Carlson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1988 | Age Level: 2 and up | Series: Viking Kestrel picture books

By admiring her finer points and showing that she can take care of herself and have fun even when there's no one else around, a charming pig proves the best friend you can have is yourself.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The ebullient pig-heroine is a happy adherent to the adage "Love Thyself." "I like me!" she exclaims from the cover and goes on to say, "I like my curly tail, my round tummy and my tiny little feet." The fresh-faced piggy elaborates: she always treats herself with respect by keeping herself clean, eating good food and exercising properly. She takes care of other important needs, too, drawing lovely pictures, reading good books and cheering herself up when she's feeling down. Never too hard on herself for failures, she points out that when she makes mistakes, she tries again. The formation of a healthy self-image, the cornerstone of a happy and successful life, is what this book is all about. Bright, colorful pictures complement the bouncy, upbeat text; Carlson skillfully imparts a positive message without denying that life holds embarrassingeven sadmoments. The book and its heroine are loaded with appeal. Ages 2-6.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1 ``I Like Me,'' says an emphatically cheerful girl-pig who demonstrates an imperturbable sense of self-esteem: ``I have a best friend. That best friend is me!'' She paints, bikes, reads, takes good care of herself, and even deals with her own occasional fallibility: ``When I make mistakes, I try and try and try again.'' I Like Me is visually interesting, with sturdy animals drawn in a deliberately artless style. Simple shapes, strong lines, and clear colors, with lots of pattern mixing, show what is not described in the minimal text. The text is hand-lettered. The content is less intriguing than the artwork. A direct message, clearly stated, is preferable to one couched around a fictional plot, but, even so, this book exists primarily as a vehicle to bolster a child's self-esteem. Healthy children will relate to and probably enjoy this book, while the children who need it most may not be affected at all. An additional purchase rather than a top-priority item. Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, Ill.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Viking Juvenile (August 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670820628
• ISBN-13: 978-0670820627
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #72,748 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

This year illustrator and author Nancy Carlson published her 44th children's book. Her specialty is teaching kids to feel good about themselves and others.Kids, parents, teachers and even book critics think she does a great job. That's because she is never out of touch with the kid spirit inside herself. Her brightly colored pencil drawings perfectly capture the happy-go-lucky characters that fill her clever and funny books. There is a life lesson to be learned from each story.Nancy decided at age five to be an artist. As a child, Nancy would sit on her bed and draw for hours. "I began creating characters and telling stories through my drawings," Nancy said. "I always had the need to communicate something through my art." Her early love of comic books influenced her style of drawing and use of color.A graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art, Nancy has kept alive a youthful zest for life. Readers and book reviewers alike are charmed by her jazzy yet childlike drawings done with bright colored pencils. In all 42 books and four stage plays, she uses well-placed humor in words and pictures to tickle the funny bone of children and their parents.Humorous childhood experiences from her own life growing up in Minneapolis and from the escapades of her three children provide themes for stories. Most of her books feature animal characters that show the funny side of people. Nancy's two dogs, cat and a guinea pig are a source of inspiration.Nancy Carson lives in Bloomington, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. She and her husband, Barry McCool, have three children, two dogs, and a cat. Nancy loves nature and spends as much time outdoors as possible, running, biking and birdwatching. Besides writing and illustrating children's books, she designs posters, t-shirts, caps, greeting cards and other specialty items, which are marketed across the country through McCool Unlimited, Inc. and available though Nancy's on-line catalogue.Readers say they recognize themselves and their friends in the characters who triumph over everyday situations.Each story helps young readers deal with life's little problems, while teaching the basic values of honesty, determination and self-confidence.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone should have a copy of this book!, May 1, 2001

By 

Sara C. Nelson "georgethecat" (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Like Me! (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

My mother bought a copy of this title for me to give to her future grandchild. I was so inspired by it, that I want to give it to all of my friends now. This book has delightful drawings and a wonderful message. This book is fun to read as an adult and a child. It is so important that children and adults are surrounded by positive messages like the one this book has to offer. I recommend it for everyone!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for instilling a positive attitude!!, February 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: I Like Me! (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

I satrted reading this book to my daughter when she was one. She loved to kiss the pig on the last page good night. This book taught her to "try and try again" no matter how much trouble she was having. Many times when she would get frustrated while learning a new skill instead of crying she would stop and say "try again". I buy this for all the baby girls I know. My one year old son does love it too!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars wise lessons from a confident pig, May 25, 2000

By 

Rosanna Landis Weaver - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Like Me! (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

The message of this self-esteem building book is above my 2 years olds comprehension right now, but the illustrations of this confident pig's day include lots of colorful object for a young child to point out. And when I noticed how hard it was for me to read the sentence, "I like my round tummy" without editorializing, I realized it is a pretty important message for mothers too.