I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem
Jaime Lee Curtis, Laura Cornell
Hardcover
(Joanna Cotler Books, March 15, 2007)
The bestselling team of Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell has returned, patting kids on the back in a super-spirited picture book that celebrates confidence. With rhyming text that uses the memorable repeat phrase "I'm gonna like me when...," Curtis describes various experiences during which children ought to remember their self-esteem. It's especially important during hard times, such as when a student gives the wrong answer in front of the class or someone is picked last for the team. It's also important at good points in life, too, like "when I'm feeling strong. I'll walk with a smile, arms swinging, legs long." But of course, the best time for liking yourself is at home, knowing that a loving family is keeping you safe: "I'm gonna like me 'cause I'm loved and I know it, and liking myself is the best way to show it." A jovial book reminding kids that despite life's highs and lows, there's no need to get down on yourself, I'm Gonna Like Me stands out as a feel-good triumph. Curtis's voice is sweetly childlike without getting mushy, and her charismatic lines roll off the tongue. Cornell's alternating girl-and-boy illustrations add just the right flair, giving the added humor and perspective that readers have come to love in all of her and Curtis's books. A book that's ideal for reading aloud or giving to someone in need of a little TLC, this surefire hit is reassuring reading. Matt Warner