I'm Growing!

Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 1

by Aliki

The food we eat helps our bones and muscles, skin and hair, teeth and toenails grow bigger and longer and stronger. Inside and outside, we grow and grow without even knowing it! With her trademark simple words and delightful pictures, acclaimed children's writer Aliki helps young readers understand how their bodies change and grow. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 4 to 6. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.

I'm Growing! is a Level One Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out Science title, which means the book explores more challenging concepts for children in the primary grades and supports the Common Core Learning Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) standards. Let’s-Read-and-Find-Out is the winner of the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Science Books & Films Prize for Outstanding Science Series.

Genres: Picture Books, Science, Nonfiction, Health, Childrens

32 pages, Paperback

First published May 8, 1992

About the author

Aliki has written and illustrated many books, both fiction and nonfiction, loved by readers throughout the world. The books were inspired by a word, an experience, or the desire to find out. Aliki lives in London, England.

Reviews

[Marie Arie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book showing the different stages of growing. The books shows a little boy growing from a baby to young boy. This book would help younger understand how their growing and bodies are changing.

[Kelsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has helpful information in it and is laid out well for children, I just wish the images were more modern looking.

[Laralee Lynch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book for explaining how growth works, and how people grow differently from each other and throughout life.

[Marissa Sansone]

Title: I’m Growing!
Author: Aliki
Illustrator:
Genre: Concept Book
Theme(s): Growing, Health, Human Body
Opening line/sentence:
Look at me!
My clothes don’t fit
Brief Book Summary: This book explains how and why we grow. With the help of eating right, we can continue to grow every day. It is completely natural and totally normal.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1: Horn Books
32 pp. HarperCollins ISBN 0-06-020244-0 PE ISBN 0-06-020245-9
(3) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. A simple explanation of bodily changes to answer a young child's questions. A Hispanic boy describes what happens as one grows - clothes don't fit, bones get longer, and noses get larger. Even one's brain, heart, and lungs grow. The illustrations include the boy's family and friends of various ethnic backgrounds.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2: CLCD
Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Apr. 15, 1992 (Vol. 88, No. 16))
In her latest entry in the excellent Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science Book series, Aliki's bright, clear, realistic illustrations show a smiling child who's delighted that he's growing bigger ("My shirt won't button. My jeans are too short"). Some basic concepts of physiology are explained in a straightforward, simple text with playful pictures of the Hispanic boy, his extended family, and his friends. People develop, they change, they age. They grow in height and weight. Their hair never stops growing. Inside, too, there are changes, in brain, heart, and other organs. This entertaining concept book celebrates individual differences while it acknowledges every child's longing to be big and strong. Category: For the Young. 1992, HarperCollins.
Response to Two Professional Reviews: Both of these book reviews are positive. They explain how the author touches on children of various cultures, showing that all children no matter where they are from, all grow in the same ways. The pictures are basic, but accurately depict what the words on the page are saying.
Evaluation of Literary Elements: This book includes children from all cultures. The plot is easy to follow, and explains in the right words how and why we grow. The characterization of the main boy throughout the story accurately depicts the natural growing process. Through the point of view of the boy, the author, through multiple characters, describes different aspects of growing.
Consideration of Instructional Application: I would use this book with kids who are just starting to go through the growing process. I would explain that it is okay to grow, and that it is something that happens to everyone. Each student could bring in a picture of themselves as a body, and show it to the class. This would emphasis how much the children have grown already. Also, as the teacher, I would bring in a few pictures of me throughout my life to show how much I have grown.

[Olugbemisola Ogutuga · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about a young boy that discoverd that the human body begins growing bigger and stronger immediately after birth.Eating healthful foods, people's bodies grow at their own paces for example, mucles and bones in the inside and outside skin, hair, fingernails and toenails.

[Jacqueline]

The cover on the one we had was different than this cover but a really neat book explaining how we grow inside and out.

[Sarah Herrington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book explaining how we grow. We loved the illustrations.

[Savanna]

read aloud