Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
I Can Do It Myself!
Illustrator: Sara Gillingham
Board book
For ages 2 to 5
Harry N. Abrams, 2012 ISBN: 978-1419704000
For little children, being able to do things for themselves is very important. When they are small, they have accept that there are so many activities that they are not ready to do without help, like get something down from a high shelf, make their own lunch, or cross a street. There comes a time though when there are small tasks that they can do for themselves, and in this book we celebrate these special moments.
We share our celebration with a little girl and her little bird companion. When we first meet the little girl she is sitting in a chair under a blanket, and we find out that she is feeling “stuffy.” The good news is that she can now blow her nose for herself. Next, we see her in the kitchen and she is feeling hungry. She is happy because she doesn’t have to ask someone to give her a snack. Instead, she can get an apple from the bowl by herself.
This clever board book shows to great effect how important it is to help children feel empowered. Even being able to do the smallest of tasks like turning off a light makes them feel more independent.
