I Want to Be Somebody New! (Beginner Books(R)) [Hardcover]

Robert Lopshire (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 27, 2009 | Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Beginner Books(R)

Spot, the chameleon-like leopard star of Put Me in the Zoo, is through with life in the zoo. And with changing his spots, too. Now he’s into changing his shape, and he wants to be somebody new! But as Spot soon discovers, it’s not easy being as big as an elephant or as tall as a giraffe or as small as a mouse. In fact, sometimes it’s easiest just being yourself, as he— and young readers—learn in this cheerful, rhyming Beginner Book about self-acceptance.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Spot, who in Put Me in the Zoo learned that he was better off performing in a circus than behind bars at the zoo, returns with his two human friends. Spot changes from elephant to giraffe to mouse, trying to find a new identity. But he discovers that every animal shape has its drawbacks. As an elephant Spot can't squeeze into his favorite chair; as a giraffe his friends can't see his face; as a mouse he can't reach the door to his house. Finally Spot's friends convince him that being somebody new is never going to feel as good as just being his same old, spot-juggling self. This intelligent, cheerful sequel, with its simple rhyming text, lives up to the reputation of its predecessor. The art, which hasn't changed since the first book was published (1960), has a dated, but familiar look.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 1 After a hiatus exceeding some 25 years, Spot, the main character in Put Me in the Zoo (Random, 1960) reappears. Spot is not happy with himself, and he magically transforms himself into an elephant, a giraffe, and finally a mouse. It takes the girl and the boy whom Spot first met when he wanted to be in the zoo to convince Spot that they like him best when he is being himself. Although the familiar trademarks of this series, brightly colored illustrations and simple rhyming sentences, remain unchanged, the book has several flaws. The theme of self acceptance is quite admirable, but when Spot appears as an elephant, his friends point out that he's too fat, as a giraffe he is too tall, and as a mouse too small. Those children who see themselves in the above descriptions might actually be getting the reverse message from what the story is trying to convey. A book that might pose problems to children who are sensitive about their physical appearance. Tom S. Hurlburt, Minneapolis Public Library
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers; 1St Edition edition (January 27, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394876164
• ISBN-13: 978-0394876160
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 0.3 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #278,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Flawed message, February 8, 2010

By 

Ulyyf "Connie" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Want to Be Somebody New! (Beginner Books(R)) (Hardcover)

I love Put Me In The Zoo, so I picked this up used without really reading it through. Well, it's a dollar I'm never getting back...!

Spot, who is better off in the circus than the zoo (seriously, read the original, because it rocks) is bored with being himself, so he decides to play around and change shapes. Will he be an elephant? A giraffe? A mouse?

We already know the ending - he's going to find out that his own shape is best. The only thing now is to find out WHY his own shape is best.

Well, it's not best because he can do things in that shape, or because other people are familiar with it, or because it's just a nice shape to be in, or even because he has opposable thumbs. It's best because elephants are too fat to go on see-saws, because birds nest in giraffe's ears (???) and because people put out traps to catch mice. Oh, and because his juvenile friends are judgmental brats who don't love their friend for who he is and support him in this crisis but tell him "We don't like you like that" every time.

Sheesh. I'm not sure if I even want to give this one away, but I guess it'll be less of a pain in a full classroom of books where each kid reads it about once or twice instead of over and over again.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Message is tricky in this book, March 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: I Want to Be Somebody New! (Beginner Books(R)) (Hardcover)

This is a fun rhyming book with the message that while changing into something different can be fun, it is just best to be yourself. The problem I have with the book is when the main character, Spot, changes into an elephant. The children respond with "You're very big, you're very fat. We do not care for you like that." I'm not sure that's a great message for kids to be hearing. They can be judgemental enough without planting the seed.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Conflicting views..., July 21, 2008

By 

LadySihaya (Bs.As., Argentina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Want to Be Somebody New! (Beginner Books(R)) (Hardcover)

I have a mixed opinion about this book. Spot, the main character, isn't happy with himself and so transforms himself into different animals: an elephant, a giraffe, and a mouse, but finally his friends convince him that they like him much more when he is himself.

I like the final message of the story: like yourself for who you are, but I don't really care for the way in which this message is conveyed. It's not that Spot discovers that he doesn't need to change to please others or himself, but on the contrary he finds that his friends are very judging about his new shapes: they don't like the elephant cause he's fat, the giraffe is too tall and the mouse is too small.

Children can be very harsh with their opinions without introducing a book that encourages this. As I said, the final message is great, but I think there are better ways of getting there.

However, my son likes this book. It's not his favorite but he does pick it up once in a while. He's 3y.o. and especially likes saying along with me the magic words "one, two, three, now look and tell me what you see" as Spot transforms himself each time.

Truthfully, however, I don't recommend it. There are better children books out there. On a similar subject I prefer for example "Happy birthday to you!" by Dr. Seuss, which celebrates the fact of being oneself "I am what I am! That's a great thing to be! If I say so myself, happy birthday to me!"