BOOKS: I'm the Best!

At SixSeeds, we believe in the power of a good story... even the books our small children are hearing and reading.  Stories have an amazing power to move, inspire, and sometimes even transform lives... even young lives. This week, we take a popular kids' book and examine it. Hopefully,  the next time you're browsing though a crowded bookstore...  you can choose wisely!

Title:  I’m the Best
Author: Lucy Cousins
Illustrator: same
Age:  2-5 years
Cost: $14.99
Buy it: here
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Rating:  4 ½ seeds
 
Using her much loved whimsical illustrations, Cousins writes a short book about Dog, who’s on a quest to be best at something… everything actually. On his journey, he taunts his friends Ladybug, Mole, Goose, and Donkey.
 
“I can swim much faster than Donkey… I can dig holes much better than Goose…I win… I’m the best.”
 
After being used to chalk up several wins, the animals tire of Dog’s proclamations and decide to take him on according to their individual skill sets. You can guess the results. Through few words and colorful pictures, Cousins captures the silliness of this quest and the hurt feelings along the way.
 
Teachable moments:
When Dog recognizes he’s mistreated his friends and realistically sees his abilities, he apologizes. (Would have been refreshing to see the story end there – to see these things actually transform him). But in the end, Dog declares he is the best… after all, his friends point out he has the best fluffy ears. In other words, Dog never really relented from his quest. Genuine apology, self pity, or something in between… it seems the real message of this book lies in the all-too-fleeting nature of remorse.
 
Things to talk to your kids about:
1.How does Dog use his talents?  Why does Dog provoke or make his friends angry?
2. Dog wanted one thing, to be the best. What other goals would help him?  
3. Do you ever get disappointed about doing something? And then do it again? What helps us at those times?
 
For Mom and Dad to consider:
Do we set our children on the path to find something at which they can “be the best” (in the sense of beating all competition, not in the context of personally striving for excellence)? Is this a worthy goal? Being “best” might be a by-product of some very worthy goals, but is the goal of simply being better than all the rest a good one?
 
Or on the opposite end of the spectrum – how does exaggerating our children’s ability for the sake of encouragement affect them in the long run? (Are we ever tempted as parents to be like ladybug, mole, goose, and donkey and give false praise to assuage our children’s sense of sadness over a mistake.) Is this exaggerated praise ever good?
 
 
You may be more familiar with Lucy Cousin's series about Maisy the Mouse.  Please see below for a discussion on how Ms. Cousins came to know Maisy.