Reviews for I Like Me!: Giant Edition

The average rating for I Like Me!: Giant Edition based on 2 reviews is 4.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2012-04-25 00:00:00 Courtney Spellicy Hey, everyone, meet Nancy Carlson�s pig. This pig does not have a name or proper hands (because she�s a pig!), but that can�t stop her�nothing can. She bakes cakes! And when she makes a mistake, she tries and tries again. (Meaning: more cake!) She is her own best friend, she likes her round tummy, and best of all: she reads good books by herself (like me). This little pig was my childhood idol. This book is the very same book I clutched every night before seizing my mother�s arm, demanding, �Read to me, now.� I�m taking a class that requires us to create a children�s self-esteem book, which naturally transports me back to the �Hi, good-looking!� days. This may have been the only children�s self-esteem book I have read (and remember), but I paid attention to messages past classes have declared in their books. What I notice is this: �I have lots of friends, because I�m a great listener!� or �I love playing on the basketball team, because I am good at it!� The latter is then followed by a picture of a kid surrounded by a cheering crowd, of course, but other people aren�t always around to help give someone a confidence boost. Not everyone wants to boost someone�s confidence. Having sharp ears and the ability to pay attention to words hopping out of mouths is a particular trait one can feel proud about, sure. Athletically gifted? Well, I envy you. It�s great to have pride in your good traits, but what if you don�t have friends? Who�s going to care about your listening skills then? What about accepting yourself as a whole? Carlson�s I Like Me shows that esteem and inner-strength comes from you and you alone. I was a shy, quiet girl who enjoyed solitary activities. (�What, Mrs. Foster? Why must I play Sorry with those kids? This drawing requires my full attention, and mine alone.�) Hence, that is why I was so damned smitten with this book. It�s not that I was incapable of socializing, and I had friends, but I preferred to be alone. As a loner child and Power Rangers enthusiast, The Pig spoke to me. The Pig said, �It�s okay that you wanted to role-play the black Power Ranger and not the yellow or pink. Those girls are snots, and the blue school bus you drew earlier is just fine. Oh, no, no�don�t listen to your mother! You made a mistake on that last cake. Of course you need to bake another!� So you see, Nancy Carlson created my hero. Her fearless pig taught me that oral hygiene and bath time are essential, that it�s all right if I�m a nightmare-chef, mistakes don�t make me a failure, and if I had a curly tail, I should like it, too. But most of all, The Pig said, �You can do all these solo activities and still feel great!� This book acknowledged my introverted self, and I clung to every word The Pig had to say. This book was, in every sense, my gospel. Some have bibles, others have cookbooks or Jenny Craig pamphlets, and I have I Like Me. �When I feel bad, I cheer myself up. When I fall down, I pick myself up. When I make mistakes, I try and try again! No matter where I go, or what I do, I�ll always be me, and I like that!� To have someone who can cheer you up is fine, but it�s not healthy to solely depend on another�s praise or expect it. Sometimes, the only person you need is yourself. Sometimes, the only person you will have is yourself. (My sincerest apologies to the three kids I rejected over a round of Sorry, but I had a blue school bus to draw.) From the archive! This (old) review can be read at Midnight Coffee Monster (with pictures!)

Review # 2 was written on 2019-06-29 00:00:00 Jeremy Stephenson A cute, body-positive picture book about loving yourself and being comfortable with who you are. Really great for younger readers but I loved it too! :)