I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem

"I'm gonna like me / when I jump out of bed, / from my giant big toe / to the braids on my head." So begins the sing-songy narrative of this affirmational picture-book from celebrity author Jamie Lee Curtis, which encourages the child reader to like him or herself, even when (inevitably) mistakes are made. The rollicking rhymes, in which a boy and girl alternate sharing how they like themselves, are paired with bright artwork from illustrator Laura Cornell, who has worked on a number of other picture-books with Curtis.

I was of two minds, when it came to reacting to I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem. I'm always a little leery of celebrity-authored children's books, as I often feel that their publication owes far more to show more the fame of the author, than to any merit in the story. I'm also wary of the seemingly inescapable self-esteem narrative that one sees everywhere, in books for the young, as I feel it often prioritizes feeling over reason and ethics. All that said, although I was largely indifferent to both text and artwork here, I can't say there was anything particularly wrong with them. The rhyming text reads well enough, and the colorful artwork is energetic and attention-grabbing - both factors that contribute to the making of a good story-time selection. The message is anodyne - not quite as narcissistic feeling as some others (I'm looking at you, I Like Myself!), but not particularly powerful or inspiring either. A happy book - which is perfectly fine, even if it didn't make me especially happy.

In short: tastes vary (as do views on the matter of inculcating self esteem!), so if you're in the market for upbeat self affirmation, this might be the one for you... show less

This is my third book that I have read by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell, and I love it! Every book that i have picked up by her has a great point and is wonderfully illustrated. This particular book is about a little girl and that no matter what happens to her, she still loves herself. This would be great in a classroom to discuss self-esteem and why everyone is different, but everyone is so special.

This is a cute parade of vignettes featuring an alternating pair, a boy and a girl, in scenes where they are feeling good about themselves and what that allows them to do on their own and with others. The reader enjoys seeing what it feels like when you try something new, write a get-well card for a friend and even do your chores. The action-packed and sometimes silly illustrations bring these ideas to life.

In my opinion, this book was fantastic. The language of the book had patterns and also rhymed. For example, the pattern was that the boy and the girl both started their thought with “I’m gonna like me…”. In both points of view the characters also rhymed, “I’m gonna like me wearing flowers and plaid. I have my own style, I don’t follow some fad”. This made it so easy for the readers to follow along and understand. The characters themselves were believable and relatable to other children who could be reading this book. Children have their own personalities and it is important that they all stand up for who they are, like the characters in this book did. This book pushes the readers to think about tougher issues like the show more self-esteem of children. While most kids have good self-esteem, some don’t and it can be something very hard for a child to handle. I think the big idea of this book is having pride in who you are as a person. With this said this book is very important and can have a direct effect on children’s learning and behavior. As a teacher, you want to make sure you have a positive classroom environment that allows every child feels comfortable being who they are. show less

I'm Gonna Like Me is a cute, engaging and esteem building book that is a pleasure to read. The age range listed for this is 4-8, but I really think this is one of those books that is a perfect read aloud (especially given that most kids up to age 8 can't read cursive and half the text/font is cursive) for 0-6, kids older than that probably aren't going to be as engaged in the message of the book, as was the case with my kids. My 6 year old loved it, but my 8 year old didn't enjoy the story as much, though she did enjoy pouring over the pictures with her brother (and reading him the badges and stuff) after the reading and they got a good chuckle out of all the zany and vivid imagery used.

In the end, the message given is one that is show more necessary, especially for younger children and would make for good story time discussion with kids ages 4-6 and maybe a little older...there's nothing intrinsically wrong with you if you get an answer wrong, someone doesn't like you or you get picked last. The message is that these things don't FEEL so great, but they don't affect who you are or your worth as a person and that is a strong, positive message. I give it 4 stars, a great message that can't be stressed enough to young children...to appreciate who you are and try all the things you wan to try because even when you're wrong, you learn from it! show less

My nieces (ages 4 & 7) and I enjoy several of Jamie Lee Curtis' books, but I appreciate the lesson in this one the most. It encourages kids to love and accept themselves just as they are, even though they are not always perfect. And it does so in a way that engages the child, without being preachy.

This is a great picture book for children 4-8 years old. This picture book helps to encourage students to love themselves. The main characters bounce around between a boy' and a girls' point-of-view as they explore their physical attributes and personalities in delightful rhymes. The illustrations are full of comic details students will love and can point out when read as a class. This book does a great job of encouraging individuality and respect for others.

Comprehensive Strategy: Different activities can be built around building self-esteem. After reading with whole class, discussion can be started about something each student can identify about themselves they like.