Book Review: Big Words for Little People
Rate This Article
What Parents Should Know
Parents need to know that this is the 8th
Book to Grow By created by the Jamie Lee Curtis/Laura
Cornell team. All eight deal playfully and respectfully with
some aspect of kid behavior. This one considers mostly
behavioral kinds of words kids hear every day but may not
understand.
Families can talk about each "big word," from "stupendous" to
"disgusting," what it means, when their kids may have heard it,
and when anyone might want to use it. They definitely will want
to enjoy, and talk about, the illustrations that go along with
each new word. What are the kids doing that explains the word
to you? Can you think of other things they might do to show the
word in another way? Can you think of times in your life when
you wanted "privacy," when things were "impossible," or you had
to suffer a "consequence"? What things are "appropriate" for
you? How about "inappropriate"? Why?
This creative, energetic group of kids, with their big orange tabby, wiry little dog, and rather patient pet goose, cavort through the pages, demonstrating just how fun, and empowering, it can be to use big words. Verging on the brink of pandemonium, scenes from their life burst with activity as each new word is presented in several lines of rhyming explanation. The final words in the book are not so big in size, but rather in importance -- family, respect, and love -- and they sum up the whole underlying tone of the book.
Laura Cornell's illustrations are outstanding, extraordinary, stupendous, and superb! Her amazingly detailed watercolor over pen and ink artwork is fascinating, and brings life to every single page. To say she has created a uniquely expressive family is an understatement. Just take a look at the dinner table scene: dressed in crowns and capes and outfits obviously of their own choosing, each kid is doing something other than sitting and quietly eating supper. Milk has been spilt, words are being spelled out in peas, balloons bounce around here and there. Yet the parents are smiling, and the dad even sports a button saying "Proud Father of BRILLIANCE!!!" This is a "celebration."
While the artwork masterfully sets a tone of acceptance and respect for the individual, the text, which is more an exploration than a story, shows how certain "big words" make expressing yourself more fun. Some of the examples are better than others. The pages about "persistence" and "patience" are much more positive than those that show the pink-faced little sister enduring the embarrassing "consequence" of being left in at recess for expoding her bubble gum in class. The attempt to rhyme the lines is uneven, and detracts at times from what is otherwise a very empowering and enjoyable book.
More in the Books to Grow By Series:
Today I Feel Silly
It's Hard to Be Five
Is There Really a Human Race?
When I Was Little
Tell Me Again
I'm Gonna Like Me
Where Do Balloons Go?
Related Web sites:
Author's Web site
Illustrator's
site
Common Sense Media is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing information to help parents make media and entertainment choices for their families.
