I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem

by Jamie Lee Curtis, Laura Cornell (Illustrator)

From the #1 New York Times bestselling team of Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell, creators of Today I Feel Silly and Where Do Balloons Go?, comes I’m Gonna Like Me, a funny and moving celebration of self-esteem and loving the skin you’re in.

Celebrate liking yourself! Through alternating points of view, a girl's and a boy's, Jamie Lee Curtis's triumphant text and Laura Cornell's lively artwork show kids that the key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you.

A book to rejoice in and share, I'm Gonna Like Me will have kids letting off some self-esteem in no time!

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Self Esteem, Emotion, Inspirational, Humor, Fiction

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Jamie Lee Curtis is a two-time Golden Globe-winning, BAFTA-winning, and Emmy-nominated American film actress and an author of children's books. Although she was initially known as a "scream queen" because of her starring roles in many horror films early in her career such as Halloween (1978 film), The Fog, Prom Night (1980 film) and Terror Train, Curtis has since compiled a body of work that covers many genres. She has received an Emmy Award nomination and two Golden Globe Awards. Her 1998 book, Today I Feel Silly, and Other Moods That Make My Day, made the best-seller list in The New York Times. She is married to actor Christopher Guest (Lord Haden-Guest) and, as the wife of a Lord, is titled Lady Haden-Guest, but she chooses not to use the title when in the United States.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I'm gonna like me / when I jump out of bed, / from my giant big toe / to the braids on my head." So begins the sing-songy narrative of this affirmational picture-book from celebrity author Jamie Lee Curtis, which encourages the child reader to like him or herself, even when (inevitably) mistakes are made. The rollicking rhymes, in which a boy and girl alternate sharing how they like themselves, are paired with bright artwork from illustrator Laura Cornell, who has worked on a number of other picture-books with Curtis.

I was of two minds, when it came to reacting to I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem. I'm always a little leery of celebrity-authored children's books, as I often feel that their publication owes far more to the fame of the author, than to any merit in the story. I'm also wary of the seemingly inescapable self-esteem narrative that one sees everywhere, in books for the young, as I feel it often prioritizes feeling over reason and ethics. All that said, although I was largely indifferent to both text and artwork here, I can't say there was anything particularly wrong with them. The rhyming text reads well enough, and the colorful artwork is energetic and attention-grabbing - both factors that contribute to the making of a good story-time selection. The message is anodyne - not quite as narcissistic feeling as some others (I'm looking at you, I Like Myself! ), but not particularly powerful or inspiring either. A happy book - which is perfectly fine, even if it didn't make me especially happy.

In short: tastes vary (as do views on the matter of inculcating self esteem!), so if you're in the market for upbeat self affirmation, this might be the one for you...

[Jerrica Morales · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book with a classmate, we identified the theme of this book as self-confidence. The colorful book is full of vivid pictures; however , the words are hard to follow as you read along. In essence, this book would be great for developing social/ emotional characteristics in children self evaluations. In addition the book should be read to the children and should not be a selection in the library center.

[Samantha wickedshizuku Tolleson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was much better than Where do Balloons Go?
Also, it had a really good message to help kids who might be having self-esteem issues.

[Gil-or (readingbooksinisrael) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice message with a fun rhyming scheme but the words in the book were often in cursive and so hard for a child to follow along.

[Ashley Brusick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book because it's not only engaging and fun, but teaches great lessons like embracing individuality and diversity. I think it's great to use in early childhood classrooms because it flows and rhymes and includes repetition of "I'm gonna like me" which encourages self-love. Teachers can implement this in their classroom to create an environment that is accepting and respectful of the differences they see in one another. It also has really fun illustrations and the sentence structure changes from page to page which can be another learning opportunity for children.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Category: Grades K-3, Book #18
This adorable rhyming story is about a children who go through different life experiences and still like themselves even at the hardest moments. The pictures are adorable and the details embedded in the story make it even more fun! This story can be used for social stories in small groups or as a whole class read aloud. Students can also make their own, "I'm Gonna Like Me" book where they articulate times that they know when their self-esteem is low. It will serve as a tool to help them remember.

Critic Review from Barnes and Noble.com
-School Library Journal
In rhyming text, a boy and a girl describe how they will like themselves whether things are going right or wrong. She says, "I'm gonna like me/when I'm called on to stand./I know all my letters/like the back of my hand." He says, "I'm gonna like me/when my answer is wrong,/like thinking my ruler/was ten inches long." They're going to like themselves, too, when they try new things, work on their good behavior, play with baby brother, or help around the house. They're going to like themselves "from [his] giant big toe to the braids on [her] head." Cornell's bright artwork appears to be done in watercolor and ink. The heavily detailed pictures have hidden humor that will be much more entertaining to adults than to children, such as the titles of the books scattered around the children's room. This pleasant addition will combine well with Nancy Carlson's I Like Me! (Viking, 1988) or Peggy Rathmann's Ruby the Copycat (Scholastic, 1991) for storytimes.-Roxanne Burg, Thousand Oaks Library, CA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

[Angela Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title / Author / Publication Date:
I'm gonna like me: Letting off a little self-esteem. / Jamie Lee Curtis. Laura Cornell (ill.) / 2002.

Genre: Fiction.

Format: Picturebook - print.

Plot summary:
"A young girl learns to like herself every single day, no matter what" (NoveList).

Considerations or precautions for readers advisory:
self-esteem

Review citation:
“Curtis looks to the source of what makes children (of all ages) feel comfortable in their own skin. Cornell pictures the perky rhymes being delivered by a pair of young protagonists confident enough to shake off embarrassment and to feel proud (though not overly so) of personal achievements” (Publishers Weekly).

Section source used to find the material:
Best Books for Children Preschool through Grade 6 (9th ed.)

Recommended age: Ages 4 - 6.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great teaching tool for teach children about being themselves and it being okay to be "different." The book celebrates being an individual. I can use this to teach kids to like themselves. I can have the children hold face mirrors and share about qualities they like about themselves.

[Doug · Rating 2 out of 5]

I sort of liked this book, but my kids definitely did not. They had TONS of questions about every single picture in the book, and I really enjoyed describing what was happening in the pictures because they were so detailed and so many things were going on. We wound up going on long tangents, though, and lost the point of the story by the time we finished looking at the picture. So we reeled it back in to talk about what the text is saying, and often times it made my kids more upset than was intended. There's a part about the girl being picked last because she's the slow one and all the kids in the line were upset that they had to have her on their team.. one of my kids is pretty sensitive about being slow and just couldn't bring herself to understand that the page was telling her that the girl in the back didn't care about the kids in the line not liking her being on their team. She was happy regardless of what other people thought. Mind you, I've been trying to figure out how to get this point across multiple times to my hyper-aware, hyper-anxious child, but she keeps coming back to being super upset about how other people feel. She doesn't even like it when I get mildly irritated if she spills milk all over the floor -- she's so upset that she upset me, she freezes and can't clean up the milk herself.

Granted, this is all a breakdown of my child rather than the book, but neither one of my kids (even the confident one) asked to read this again. I think the confident one gets tired of the long winded explanations of everything happening on the page and the anxious one doesn't want to think about the bad things that are happening, so no one asked to read it again.

It probably works for other people, and I did like the illustrations quite a bit, but just didn't work for us (5 year olds)

[Tessa Kusenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Through cartoon pictures, this book follows a boy and a girl through a day in their lives. The boy and the girl are similar in that they each like themselves for who they are, no matter if they do something bad or good. As they go through many events, the children always find something they like about themselves. The boy and the girl list so many things that they like about themselves, that they have no room for anything they don't like themselves.

Theme: This book contains the themes of overcoming negativity, finding fulfilment in ones-self, and everlasting love.

Rating: 4 out of 5

Personal Response: I like this book because it tells an important message. In specific parts of the book, it also shows types of behavior that adults would want their children to do, such as cleaning their room or not crying when they leave for school. I also like the book because it utilizes different fonts in order to show which character is speaking, the boy or the girl. The reason I gave it a 4 out of 5 rating is because I would've liked to see other characters that don't like themselves and how these children help them like themselves. However, it is still a really good book.

Why I Recommend: I recommend this book because it utilizes rhyming words and also invites the reader to tell what they like about themselves, which I believe is very important. This book shows that even if they are not always right, that they should still like themselves. This book shows the importance of being your own person. This is a good idea to present to children because at that age, all children want is to be liked, so some lie about themselves in order for other to like them. The most important thing thought, is for them to like themselves, even if others don't.

[Rebecca Rowsey]

This is a fun, colorful book that is about kids determined to love themselves through all the events of life. It follows a girl and a boy as they go throughout their normal days at schools. They talk about liking themselves through things that really aren't all that fun. Things like saying the wrong answer in class, not being able to run fast, or eating something new. The characters do things that are fun and things that are not so fun. But they continue to like themselves no matter what.

I loved this book! It is a feel-good book with a great message. The illustrations are colorful and very detailed. I like how the characters focus on positives and negatives, like when he jumped really high but then fell and scratched himself. I love the end pages with the illustrations of all different children.

I would definitely read this to my students. I think that it would be a good book to read at any time throughout the school year. This message of self-esteem is important for any time of the year. I would use the book to encourage my students to like themselves even when they fail. I would use it to encourage them to like every little thing about themselves and to recognize their individuality.

[Edward Sojuwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book about liking yourself, written by a Hollywood star which, odd though it seems (because Hollywood prides itself on enforcing young starlets to self hatred and depression leading to self harm, just ask Marilyn Monroe or Amy Winehouse), knows what she's talking about and really strives to walk the talk. Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, the Active ACTOR selling Activia yogurt and the woman somehow still battling unstoppable killer Michael Myers every Halloween (or every Halloween movie) writes cool kids books like this one, a whimsical poetic piece about loving who you are as an individual, not following the crowd but by being true to yourself in spite of the odds against you. (A message in countless other books which means we're still following the crowd anyway but hey, there is still truth in this!) I get the idea that Jamie should've been a cool schoolteacher, instead of a horror film scream queen/sex icon. She might feel better in herself, since she has that innate gift of reaching kids. Or is she writing kid's books to compete with "Hollywood's bestie" Julianne Moore? Nah, I'm leaning towards Jamie having a good heart. And no I don't like Jamie Lee Curtis.....I LOVE HER! SO WILL YOU!
Three stars
Send Jamie a LIKE!!!

[Sherrema Oom-Dove]

This fun and colorfully illustrated book is an affirmation for all ages. With rhyming lines like, 'I'm gonna like me when I'm sharing my lunch 'cause just like bananas friends come in a bunch,' children learn about kindness and care for others. One page spread in particular had me smiling for the drama taking place in the bottom foreground. The two children are in the back of the bus, smiling and waving to their mothers who are overcome with grief that their babies are all grown up and heading away to kindy. It reminded me of the story my own mother told me that she cried after putting me on the bus that first time. Another page is especially empowering when a small boy sees himself as a grown up in the mirror while wearing a cape, boots, and a firefighter's hat. The lines are, 'I'm gonna like me when I'm feeling strong. I'll walk with a smile, arms swinging, legs long.' The picture gives depth of context to the rhyme. One drawback to the illustrations is that about animals. Do we really need to drag a turtle on a silken leash down a fashion runway, or capture an octopus and make it into stew? The illustrations depict vivid imagination - the good, bad, and...well, you get the picture. Overall, this is a wonderful read at any age.

[Bethany Corkran · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fiction picture book by Jamie Lee Curtis is an inspirational children's book. It goes through the daily life of a boy and girl, telling about themselves and discussing how they will like themselves in good and bad situations. For example, the boy says he will like himself even when he is picked last at school. Both of them say they will like themselves when the bus pulls away and they feel so proud of themselves. The girl talks about how she will like herself whenever she makes a get well card for her friend. I loved this book because of the message that it sends to kids. It tells them that they can love themselves. All of themselves, the good, and the bad. Because they are unique and that is what makes them who they are. For this book, I would use it as a read-aloud and afterwards have them write their own "I'm gonna like me," story including the happenings of their days thus far. Then they will have it in writing that they love themselves, no matter how good or bad the day may be.

[Kristen Adair · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very sweet book about kids saying what it is they are going to like themselves for. They list out all these different qualities and say "I'm gonna like me when.." Then later they say times that they are going to like themselves even though its different than the people around them. They are going to what makes them different.
This book was really simple, but I think it is so important to have as a part of your shelf. This would likely be a book for younger elementary. But especially this day in age we need to start at a young age encouraging kids to focus on their self worth. This is a cute book that will plant that seed of confidence in them early.
I would definitely use this in the classroom. I would use it in a unit about having confidence and appreciating yourself. I think a fun activity would be for all the students to write down some things they love about themselves that make them different. Then they could partner up and tell their partner things that they love are different about them. Then we could go around and everyone read some things that make their partner special.

[Pamela Hatch · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm Gonna Like Me : Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem / written by Jamie Lee Curtis; illustrated by Laura Cornell -- New York: Joanna Cutler Books / HarperCollins, c2002. (34 pages)

SUMMARY: Through alternating points of view, a girl and boy show kids that the key to feeling good is liking yourself because you are you. (book jacket)

REVIEW: Needed story about each child being unique and that dreaming about the future is a good thing that will help you prepare for your future and being the person you are. However, I found it to be a little much and the illustrations too busy for my liking.

FAVORITE PART: "I'm gonna like me when I jump so high. I'll twist and I'll stretch straight up to the sky. -- I'm gonna like me when I fall and get hurt and mess up my elbows in pebbles and dirt." (Both illustrations and text)

[Karen Pass · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m Gonna Like Me is a compilation of statements from different children saying they are still going to like themselves regardless of what happens. From raising their hand in class even when they don't know the answer or not being able to run the fastest, they are still going to like themselves. At the end of the book, it has the reader reflect and ask what they like about themselves.

I’m Gonna Like Me is a story about self-empowerment. Through simple statements, the book allows children to see their own value and worth. In addition, the colorful illustrations and funky font make the book very unique.

A book I would pair with I’m Gonna Like Me is I Am Enough. Both realistic fiction book discuss the importance of self love.

My favorite quote is the final sentence in the book, “I’m gonna like me. I already do! But enough about me- HOW ABOUT YOU?”

[Chloe Kirkland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this picture book. It is promoting positive self esteem which I love. It starts phrases with “I’m gonna like me when...” One page stood out to me when it said, “I’m gonna like me when I’m called on to stand. I know the letters like the back of my hand. I’m gonna like me when my answer is wrong, like thinking my ruler was 10 inches long.” I think this is a great book to bring in the classroom. When I was younger, I was so shy and scared because I felt different in some ways. I was scared to answer questions. I was insecure when I had to get glasses. I was worried of what people thought. It’s important to show children that they will make mistakes, but we should learn from them. It’s also okay to be different than others!These are things children go through. They need us teachers to build their self esteem up so they are ready to take on anything!

[Caitlin Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. This story talks about all the ways to like yourself when its easy and even when its hard. It can be easy to like yourself when you make a nice card or eat something new, but it can be hard like yourself when you’re picked last, or jump to high and fall down.
2. I enjoy the funny and silly nature of this book while sending a powerful message, encouraging individuals to see themselves in a positive way. The situations put forth in the book are relatable for young audiences, who may be struggling with self-esteem.
3. I would use this book with Spoon.
4. I would use this text in the classroom to foster self-efficacy amongst my students.

[Ally Lybbert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Picture Book.
I NEED THIS BOOK IN MY CLASSROOM
I loved it.
Who knew Jamie Lee Curtis would be such an awesome author of children's books?!
It teaches students who love themselves both when things go well and when they don't.
This message is so important in our competitive, comparative, facebook culture.
I want my students to know that their worth does not fluctuate depending on how the day goes.
The illustrations were happy and fun.
I definitely want to start my mornings off with positive affirmations. Maybe this book could be incorporated into that routine.

[Lucy Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'm Gonna Like Me" is a book about multiple children finding their voices and finding a way to be confident in who they are. This book goes through multiple stages of children loving themselves in all sorts of activities. This also goes into kids finding friends and loving them for all of their differences. I would also love to have this book on my shelf in my school. It would be great for self esteem topics with students of all ages. This has great illustrations that keep you interesting and focused on what exactly you are reading.

[Patricia Copeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genre: poetry, grades K-1
WOW! What a fantastic and important book! It is SO SO SO vital to have kids start to think positively about themselves starting at a young age. I love how this book tells kids to love themselves intrinsically, even when they don't do as well as they'd hoped. The rhyme and cadence along with the colorful and detailed illustrations will help keep young students' attention despite the book being a little long. I think that this or a book like it is an absolute must read for any early elementary classroom!

[Darin Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

As we read about the boy and girl in this story, and the various things they like, it's a great reminder to see the positive in every day. The author does a great job of tying both obvious things to like, along with the subtle ones that only the characters know.

5 stars because the rhyming words, the flipping from the boy's perspective to the girl's, along with the bright illustrations. Great conversation start about what are those things, obvious or otherwise, we can like about ourselves.

[Hannah Dahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic Fiction
Early Primary (K-1) and primary (2-3)

This book is incredible! The positive message is geared towards younger children but can be just as powerful to the adults reading this book. I love the positive spin that is put things that can be viewed as negative when you're little. I think that this book is a phenomenal way to encourage self-esteem in younger children and remind adults that it's okay to mess up! It's such a simple book, but the message is so incredibly powerful.

[Clwseattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem because while yes, children are naturally self-absorbed, this little book gives them the why's and what's as to why they are and the OK to be that way. The part about the octopus stew cracked me up because MY grandmother did make octopus stew. I was not nearly as gracious as the little girl in the book regarding that stew. The rhymes are charming (again!) and the illustrations bright and fun.

[Carson Griffith · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many different ways I could use this in my classroom! I would have my students use this book to read out loud to the class. I would have them make their own “I’m Gonna Like Me” book so that can know when their self-esteem is low. It will also teach them about self-esteem and how it important for them to like their selves. I can also have my students list different qualities they like about their classmates.

[Kaleb Beaulieu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m Gonna Like Me is about embracing our uniqueness and loving ourselves wholeheartedly. It talks about accepting our mistakes and negative times as well, and that regardless of the situation we should be kind to ourselves. This is a book I remember vividly from my childhood and I hold a lot of nostalgia towards it and quite honestly, I think it still holds up. The illustrations are engaging, and the rhyming scheme makes it enjoyable to read.

[Andria Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a child who likes themselves in everything that happens and everything they do, they think they are perfect just they way they are

I thought this book was very well written and sends a good message to children about liking and accepting themselves for who they are

(Picture Book)

[Sarah Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this story we see two characters (a boy and a girl) learning to love themselves no matter what anyone else thinks. The illustrator uses bright colors to catch the readers eye and keep their interest. The reoccurring sentence is this book is "I'm gonna like me". I think this is an important message for kids to learn because it teaches them to love themselves no matter what.

[Kasey Fernandez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely message and colorful illustrations. Features students of multiple ethnicities and genders. The font changes to indicate which of the two main characters are speaking. The only problem is, students that cannot read cursive will have a hard time reading one of these character's lines! However, it can be a good motivation to learn cursive.