Reviews for I like me!
Publishers Weekly
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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. (August) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.
Ages 3-5. Little ones in need of positive reinforcement will find it here. An exuberant pig proclaims, ``I like me!'' She likes the way she looks (close-ups show her round tummy, curly tail, and tiny feet) and activities such as reading, drawing, and riding her bike-fast. When she feels badly or makes a mistake, she picks herself up and tries again. Although the ``be your own best friend'' philosophy wears a bit, there is certainly room on library shelves for a book that extols the virtues of being yourself. The stridency of the message is tempered by the jazzy yet childlike drawings done with bright color pencils. Carlson's clever use of decorative patterning adds dimension to the design; kids will have a good laugh at Ms. Pig taking a bath or wearing a beret while showing off her drawings at her easel. Just the thing for a child who's feeling insecure. IC. Pigs-Fiction / Self-reliance-Fiction [OCLC] 87-32616
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
PreS-Gr 3?Nancy Carlson's book (Viking Penguin, 1988) comes to life with cheerful narration, sound effects, and songs written and sung by Sarah Weeks. In short sentences, a young pig explains her satisfaction in liking and taking care of herself. Xylophone music and simple sound effects accompany the narration. Following the story, there are follow-along activities which are loosely tied to the activities of the pig as shown in the book. In the story, the pig rows a boat; "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" sung as a round is the accompanying activity. The pig exercises and rides a bike; there are very basic exercises for children to perform. Preschool children shouldn't have any trouble following the instructions to stretch up, march in place, etc. To go along with the pig's brushing her teeth, the tape includes a lively song, "Brush Your Teeth," done in a light rock vein. None of these activities really develops the book's focus on self-esteem, but they are enjoyable and youngsters will have fun with them. At the close of the tape there is a brief segment about the author, her interests as a child, and her writing/illustrating endeavors today.-Elizabeth C. Fiene, Clermont County Public Library, Bethel, OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
School Library Journal
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
PreS-Gr 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. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
