Isabel PinReviews

This short but cute story explains how badly a little boy wants to win the Nobel Peace Prize, and everything that he stands for. He wants to fight injustice to make sure everyone feels loved and accepted. He wants to save animals from cruelty, as well as share with the poor and unfortunate. This can be a great book to read to kindergarten and first graders to show a good example of how to combat social justice and make every person feel loved.

I enjoyed reading this book because in my opinion it was very inspiring and uplifting. The book was told in first person by the main character who was a young boy. It was great to see that as such a young boy, he wanted to change the world and truly make it a better place. The book was very clear and easy to understand which makes it great for young readers. The reason I believe the book was very inspiring is because the boy wanted to "create world peace, clean up the environment, save animals from cruelty, and share with the poor." These are all great steps towards making a difference and winning the Nobel Peace Prize. I think the book pushes readers to see the ways we can help save our world and to also show how we can give back. The book makes it very easy for the reader to maybe put themselves in the main characters shoes.

In my opinion the character in this book is a driven, caring and hopeful young boy aspiring to do great things in this world. The language in the story is clear but the writing and illustrations in my opinion was somewhat unclear. It was not until I read the summary of the story, that everything the boy wanted to do was the opposite of what he was going through. The boy states, "He will give aid to people who need it," and "He will be brave in difficult situations." He wants to do these things because he has trouble standing up to greedy classmates and that he has trouble being brave in difficult situations. As I read the story, I perceived the story to be an aspiring young boy who just wants to help the world become a better place. Though the illustrations did't fit the style of the written text. The illustrations show the opposite of what the text is saying.
The concept of the story is great for children because it discusses many small or large ways they can help create a better community or world. The boy is trying to show that even though he says he wants to do all these great things, it's hard to know how to begin working towards one's aspirations.

Just ok, doesn't seem quite complete somehow.

the shapes of teh animal houses in the zoo mirror the shapes of the animals inside them. Can kids guess who lives where?

Nice idea.

Pin, Isabel. When I grow up, I will win the Nobel Peace Prize (Nancy Straus,
Trans.). Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2006.

When the boy in this story grows up, he plans to do good deeds and be given the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his efforts. Right now, however, he is having a hard time getting started on making the right choices.

The pictures in the story are very unique in that they show the boy doing the exact opposite of his “when I grow up” plan. Most of the illustrations are full page illustrations on the right hand page; however, a few of them begin on the left hand page.

Children who are 7-10 year old would especially enjoy this book. Seven year olds are developing a sense of justice and older students show concern for others, are developing a sense of values, and are interested in problems of the world. They will be able to relate to the boy in the story who is struggling to make the right choice. Younger students may need the teacher to point out that the illustrations are the opposite of what the text says. Older students will appreciate this humorous aspect of the story. As an extension activity, younger students can discuss better choices that the boy could have made an older students can research the Nobel Peace Prize and why past and current winners have received the award.