All by myself!

Ages 2-5. This upbeat picture book follows an exuberant little boy through his day. The quick-paced text uses short phrases and many active words, hitting the high points in his own words. Generally the words, the rhymes, and the near-rhymes read aloud well, though occasionally the word choice is a little awkward, as in "Close the light. Say good night. Sleep sweet dreams." Even nonreaders, though, will be able to enjoy the activities and emotions so clearly portrayed in the bright illustrations. Very young children may be confused by seeing more than one picture of young Peter on a single spread, but they will have no doubt of what is happening in each one, even if they don't yet go to the library, practice violin, or take a bath by themselves (How old is this child?). On the other hand, very young children will delight in recognizing the many everyday activities (brushing teeth, taking off pajamas, putting on socks) depicted on the page. A cheerful picture book that many preschoolers will enjoy. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2000 Booklist Reviews

A perky preschooler (or kindergartner) flies solo through his daily routine in this upbeat offering, which begins with a wake-up visit from the boy's pet cat. As the child washes up, gets dressed, eats breakfast, plays at school, goes to the library, etc., he is pictured on his own. Only in frames depicting his drop-off at and pickup from school and at bedtime do his parents appear. The parents' limited role reinforces the book's celebration of children's independence, even if it sometimes presents a skewed perspective of age-appropriate autonomy. The text is simple and the picture clues are ample, but the verse's rhythm and rhyme scheme are intermittently forced (e.g., "Right shoe, left shoe. Tie, comb, done! Breakfast's ready, pour, crunch, yum!"). Aliki's (William Shakespeare & the Globe) brightly hued, unadorned art convincingly conveys the protagonist's high energy and enthusiasm. A cheerful if minor addition to the author/artist's oeuvre. Ages 3-6. (Sept.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

PreS-Gr 1-Just as the title implies, this jubilant story shows and tells about a child doing all sorts of things independently. "Right shoe,/left shoe./Tie,/comb,/done!/Breakfast's ready,/pour,/crunch,/yum!" The boy goes through a typical day, getting dressed, going to school, visiting the library, practicing his violin, helping with dinner, and getting ready for bed. Aliki's colorful illustrations closely match the moods and energy levels of a five- or six-year-old. The youngster's dog and cat have almost as much personality as he has. The text has a hand-printed appearance, large and easy to read. The back cover features a chart labeled, "What can you do all by yourself?" with verbs such as wash, brush, button, zip, tie, pour, build, and write. A good choice for storyhours and beginning readers.-Sharon R. Pearce, Geronimo Public School, OK Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

A child shows all the things he has learned to do all on his own, including buttoning, zipping, scrubbing, rubbing, painting, and writing, in a joyous celebration of the important steps toward independence.

A child shows all the things he has learned to do all on his own.

Run to the bathroom, fast as an elf. Sit, wash, brush, all by myself.

There are all sorts of things independent children can do--dress, undress, button, zip, scrub, rub, paint, and write--all by themselves. This is Aliki's exuberant celebration of the joys of mastering these skills--morning, noon, and night.