I'm Gonna Like Me
I'm Gonna Like Me
(Letting Off A Little Self-Esteem)
Written by Jamie Lee Curtis
Illustrated by Laura Cornell
Copyright 2002
Harper Collins Publishers
Joanna Cotler Books
32 pages
Genre: Picture Book
A/R Grade Level: 3.0
I'm Gonna Like Me is a fun book about children who express a fondness for themselves even though they are not always successful at everything they do. The book explores successes and failures encountered in a typical child's life and expresses liking yourself no matter what happens during the day. The illustrations strongly support the storyline and add rich context for each situation mentioned in the text. Throughout the book, boys and girls are depicted in various settings at home, school, and play where things turn out well and sometimes, not so well. The children continue to repeat, "I'm gonna like me!" as their experiences are revealed.
This book would be an excellent starting point for a character trait lesson about self-esteem as suggested by the subtitle. This book could also be used during the first few days of school to ease concerns about the new school year, making friends, and finding a way to fit into the student's new circumstances. I would extend learning with this book by performing a book walk before it is read aloud to review the illustrations and make predictions about some of the things that may happen in the story. The illustrations contain several words and labels that assist in making the story even more fun for children. The students will enjoy taking time to soak up the beautiful illustrations and finding out what this extra text adds to the overall story. After reading the book aloud, a discussion and time of sharing could be facilitated to encourage students to share their thoughts about overcoming disappointments and celebrating victories.
I LOVE Jamie Lee Curtis books. The book walk for predictions is a great idea! Your classroom will greatly benefit from reading this book together and having a discussion before the year starts off!
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of this as a "first day" book. Making your students feel comfortable in your classroom, I feel, is a huge part of being successful in learning!
ReplyDeleteI'm LOVING seeing so many books by Jamie Lee Curtis, she is a great children's book author. Thank you for sharing such a great idea about using the book for a character trait lesson that focuses on self-esteem. The illustrations look colorful and beautiful! I'm going to add this book to the list of many books I need! :)
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