I Am Growing and Changing

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Often children are fascinated by the process of growing up. They ask what was I like when I was a baby? This reader gives a very quick flip trough the time a baby is born until the age of five. As a newborn baby, readers learn they did not do much but sleep, and, even at three months old, a baby does not usually have teeth and still sleeps a lot. Suddenly, at four months, there is more self-awareness, and the baby reaches for his or her toes. At eight months, the baby will probably be crawling around. After a year, the baby becomes a toddler and at two is usually talking. Four is a big change because the little one is more of a person and can play and undertake activities like riding a tricycle. At five it is time for school and a chance to learn to read and write. Unlike many readers of this type, the vocabulary words are listed on the opening page, and the closing page includes several notes to adults about the content, focus of the book and a suggested activity, which is in addition to the related activities presented on prior pages. Simple declarative sentences on crisp white pages accompanied by photographs of children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds make this an attractive book. It is a level "D" book in the "My World" series. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot