Now I Am Big!

Starred review from June 25, 2012
Lovely, understated verse and artwork with a delightfully vintage feel are in perfect sync in this testament to a boy’s increasing capabilities. “I used to be short. Now I am tall./ I used to be slow/ Now I play ball.” Gillingham shows the dark-haired boy in a stylized stroller at left, reaching for an apple on a tree; on the right, the now older boy has no trouble grabbing that apple. It’s a quiet yet confident affirmation of the skills children master with each passing year. Simultaneously available: I Can Do It Myself! Ages 1–3.

December 15, 2012
A young toddler reflects on his life and contrasts all things he did as a baby to what he can do now. Krensky's simple rhyming scheme provides clear comparisons: "I used to be short. / Now I am tall. // I used to be slow. / Now I play ball." Gillingham's cartoons in primary colors have the look and feel of retro newspaper prints and depict the child's past on the left and his big-kid self on the right. She places this rosy-cheeked protagonist in easy-to-recognize situations. The final spread shows the child as a baby stacking three blocks next to his present-day toddler self creating towering block structures. The caption to this scene is empowering: "I used to be little. / Now I am big!" Mom, when needed, is suitably at the periphery of most scenes. The companion title, I Can Do It Myself, features a young girl and her bird sidekick demonstrating a DIY attitude when putting on clothes or blowing her nose. The taller-than-normal format of these titles reinforces the big-kid energy of the text and art. Should give toddlers a satisfying dose of independence. (Board book. 2-4)

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November 1, 2012

PreS-Both books celebrate the increased independence that comes with getting older. In Now I Am Big! a boy reminisces about his former abilities compared to his present deeds. One page shows a crawling baby as he pulls a toy on a string with the text: "I used to be slow." This is juxtaposed with the present-day soccer player who celebrates: "Now I play ball." Similarly, I Can Do It Myself features a smiling youngster as she revels in her self-sufficiency. She can dress and feed herself, among other joys of self-confidence such as riding a tricycle and reading a book. The artwork has a vintage feel set in primary colors. Fine additions to board book collections.-Laura Butler, Mount Laurel Library, NJ

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