I love me by Sally Morgan and Ambelin Kwaymullina

I love me is a happy, bouncy book to share with small children and babies. It teaches the all important belief in yourself and the ability to love yourself for the unique person that you are. In simple rhyming , repeating phrases, the text teaches the child to love their different body parts, the things that their body can do and the feelings that they have. The book commences with "I love me!" and ends with, "I love, love, love me!" A hypothetical is presented... "If I was tall as a tree with worms for hair and clouds for arms and grass for feet, ..." Arguably, with this being an imaginative situation, perhaps it should read "If I were..." This reader understands authorial choice but also respectfully questions grammar usage - while understanding that the choice was probably deliberate.

Author Sally Morgan, known and acclaimed for her autobiography My place has collaborated with artist Ambelin Kwaymullina to produce this striking little board book for little people. At 15x15cm this board book is perfect for little hands. It is made with strong board of good quality.

Two children (a boy and a girl) bounce through the pages accompanied by a delightful little dog. I love me  encourages children to love themselves for who they are through a simple, buoyant first person narrative accompanied by vibrantly colourful and happy illustrations. The rhyming pattern is fun and lends itself to interaction... "Tap, tap, tap, I love the way my hands clap...Thump, thump, thump I love the way my legs jump."

The building of self esteem in children is vital. I love me is a lovely book to share for fun shared reading times together and for imparting an important message. It is a book that will make everybody smile and probably will inspire a lot of happy activity.

Themes: Loving yourself, Accepting your own uniqueness.

Wendy Jeffrey