Bibliographic Citation:
Dodd, Emma. I Am Small. New York, NY: Cartwheel Books, 2011. 24 p. ISBN 978-0545353700.
Awards/Selection Lists:
None
Format Examined:
Hard cover
Annotation:
A baby penguin feels small among the great, big world around him. His size doesn't matter anymore after he is snuggled up with his mom.
Personal Reaction:
This sweet, rhyming story is told from the perspective of a baby penguin who realizes what a small part of the world he is. The baby penguin tries to keep up with other bigger penguins who are sliding and swimming, and then he notices how vast the sky is, and how truly little he is. The baby penguin finds his mother at last, and is okay being small in comparison to the world, as long as he knows that he is the biggest thing to his mother.
Age Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for children 18 months-3 years of age.
Themes/Issues:
Self-image, size, the world around us, love, feeling important, positional words
Early Literacy Skill Value:
Letter Knowledge:
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.
Narrative Skills:
Children are encourage to participate in the narration of this story through the repetition of the title phrase, "I am small". The illustrations also provide the opportunity for dialogic reading discussion between the reader and children listeners of the story.
Phonological Awareness:
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.
Print Awareness:
Print awareness is fostered through descriptive words that are printed in large text on each page.
Print Motivation:
Young children will identify with the baby penguin in the story. The use of a cute penguin and silver, metallic accents draw the attention of young children, who will enjoy reading this book with an adult, or looking at the pictures by themselves.
Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book represent descriptive words which portray the concepts of size, position, and emotions.
Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://emmadoddbooks.blogspot.com/
Letter knowledge is not a direct focus of this book.
Narrative Skills:
Children are encourage to participate in the narration of this story through the repetition of the title phrase, "I am small". The illustrations also provide the opportunity for dialogic reading discussion between the reader and children listeners of the story.
Phonological Awareness:
Phonological awareness is not a direct focus of this book.
Print Awareness:
Print awareness is fostered through descriptive words that are printed in large text on each page.
Print Motivation:
Young children will identify with the baby penguin in the story. The use of a cute penguin and silver, metallic accents draw the attention of young children, who will enjoy reading this book with an adult, or looking at the pictures by themselves.
Vocabulary:
The vocabulary in this book represent descriptive words which portray the concepts of size, position, and emotions.
Author/ Illustrator Website:
http://emmadoddbooks.blogspot.com/
