I Look like a Girl [Hardcover]

Sheila Hamanaka (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 1999 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2000, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2-In this vibrantly illustrated picture book, exuberant girls seem to burst both the limits of the page and the confines of traditional expectations. Each child, while engaging in typical childhood activities, is imagining a life as free and wild as that of a tiger, dolphin, mustang, condor, or wolf. "Throw out those glass slippers.-No prince is waiting for me," the girls say, but the strongly implied message is that they're the ones who aren't waiting for a Cinderella ending. Instead, these youngsters, like the animals they dream of, glory in their own outer and inner selves. The richly colored oil paintings accompanying the brief, sometimes rhyming text will delight storyhour audiences, while smaller details, like a "Cinderella" movie poster, a tiger kitten in a jungle garden, and a come-to-life stuffed monkey, will reward observant viewers. A celebration of "what is wild, in the heart-so I can be me," this book does for girls what the author's All the Colors of the Earth (Morrow, 1994) did for children of ethnic diversity.
Meg Stackpole, Rye Free Reading Room, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

When they look at Hamanaka's pictures, children may think they see a girl sitting at the table or singing a song, but with creativity coming into play, they may really be seeing "a mustang," "a wild horse on the mesa," or "a dolphin with a spin and a splash in the sea." The little girls in this poem don't see themselves as princesses; instead they romp and run wild, picturing themselves as wild animals. But the book isn't just about these girls. It's about the power of imagination, and the lush watercolor illustrations are so vibrant they'll draw children right into the fantasy game. For the most part, the language is simple, but some words, such as mesa and condor, may be unfamiliar to younger children. The text and illustrations are a celebration of girls, their abilities and their creativity, without ever overdoing the rhetoric. This is a book with a message that parents and daughters can appreciate equally. Marta Segal

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (September 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688146252
• ISBN-13: 978-0688146252
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,101,142 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!!! The perfect antidote to fairy princes., October 31, 1999

By 

Marjorie DeWilde - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Look like a Girl (Hardcover)

If you want a little girl who dreams of being a tiger, mustang or dolphin, instead of a fairy princess, you must get this book!!!

My mom searched through over 100 books before selecting this one for her granddaughter's first birthday. It's wonderful. I read it to my baby at least weekly.

This book says exactly what I want to tell my daughter. She doesn't have to wait for her prince. She can go be anything, be wild and free, be dangerous, and be herself.

The illustrations are beautiful, a bit wild and free on their own. Buy this book. You won't regret it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars every girl should have this book, January 27, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: I Look Like a Girl (Library Binding)

recently while visiting some friends with a young daughter, i was shown this book. i read it and loved it. if you want your daughter(s) to grow up proud to be a girl, this is a must have. since reading i look like a girl, i have decided to buy copies for my closest friends, the youngest being 20. buy this book, you'll love it!

5.0 out of 5 stars It's okay to not spend your life waiting for a prince...., January 20, 2011

By 

Miss K (Venice, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Look like a Girl (Hardcover)

If you are trying to find a book that features strong, capable girls with exciting inner monologues...this is the one for you. I'm not kidding when I say it is worth buying a cut-out remainder version of this book, because sadly it is out of print.