Cousins, L. (2010). I'm the Best. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press-
ISBN # 978-0-7636-4684-4
- The Summary of the Book
In the story, there is a dog who believes he is the best at everything. A lady bug, mole, goose, and donkey are the dog’s wonderful friends; however, although he loves his friends, he still thinks he is the best. He competes with his friends and keeps saying that he wins. He says he is the best because he is better than everyone of his friend. And of course, his friends get so frustrated and wish they were as good as the dog. However, they find their own strengths, and the dog regrets with tears, and feels sorry for that he has been mean to his friends. His brilliant friends generously forgive him, say that he is the best at having beautiful fluffy ears, and give him a big hug. The story ends with a humor that the dog recovers his confidence saying that having beautiful fluffy ears is the most important, so he is the best.
- The Reason That I Chose this Book for Three to Five Year Olds
I chose this book for three to five year olds because of its message. Young children often get too competitive, and want to be the best at everything. I believe there is nothing wrong with being competitive as long as one does not look down on others. This book invites children the concept that everyone has his strength and weakness. At the end of the story, the dog says he is still the best, but he does not look down on his friends. He learns and respects that others have their own strengths, and finds his own strength. I would like to introduce to the children the balance that the dog learns becoming the best while respecting others.
Also its illustration is why I chose this book for three to five year olds. The book is roughly sketched with a black crayon, and colourfully painted in water colours. Also, its letters are sloppily written in a black crayon as if it was written by the children. The messily sketched and brightly coloured illustration resembles children’s drawings, and that encourages the children to engage in the book more easily. Throughout the whole story, the playful and energetic illustration stimulates curiosity and interest.
- Provocation
As a provocation for this book, I would put some pictures of the animals on the wall. For example, I will hang the pictures of the dog with floppy ears, goose with paddling legs, mole digging the hole on the wall. Animals not only from the book, also many other animals and even men’s pictures can be used. For instance, the picture of an elephant grabbing food with his nose, or the picture of a girl balancing on a ball can be used. As looking at these pictures, the children may be curious about what they are doing, and they may wonder what the connection between the pictures is.
- 4 Different Ways
This book can be presented in many different ways, and I especially chose the felt board, finger puppets, shadow theatre, and children participating in the skit. While I am telling the story, I will stop and wonder with children, when the dog says he wins to the mole (“I wonder how does the mole feel like? If I were him, I must be sad”), and when the dog says to the ladybug that he wins (“I wonder, does ‘big’ always mean you win? If I am small, that means I lose? Is being small better sometimes?”), and when the mole says to the dog that he win (“I wonder, how does the dog feel like right now?”).
1. The felt board story
The felt board can be made with a presentation board and felt. Those can be purchased at Michaels, but to lower the cost, instead of a presentation board, a cardboard can be used if it is big enough. The pictures of the characters should be laminated to avoid getting wet or crumpled. It becomes more approachable to the children to engage and participate to the story. You can get your paper laminated at Wal-Mart and Staples.
2. The finger puppets
The puppets can be made with felts and wiggle eyes. The dollar shops sell them, but some dollar shops have limited variety of felt colours. On the other hand, Michaels has many colour selections although it cost higher than dollar shops. Every puppet should have its characteristic; for instance, the dog should have big floppy ears, the lady bug should have antennae and wings, the moles should have bright pointy nose and long claws. There are also ready-made puppets are sold, but it is hard find the characters from the book. However, if you do not mind changing the characters or manipulating the story, IKEA sells an animal finger puppets package including a snail, rabbit, moose, elephant, lion, frog, tortoise, and so on.
3. The shadow theatre
The shadow theatre can be made with a thin white paper stick on a large frame. The frame can be any frame not in use at home, and the thin white paper can be purchased at any craft shop. And the puppets can be made with a thick black paper with a thin and long stick which is the handle to manipulate the puppet. Thick black papers and thin and long sticks can be purchased any dollar stores. The side view is the best to bring out the animals’ characteristics except the ladybug. Also, the light is needed for the shadow theatre, and it can be any desk lamps.
4. The children participating skit
The children participating in the skit should be the very last way of the presenting the book because the children need to be familiar with the story. In this story, only five children are needed; however, we can manipulate the story, and add more animals, so that more children can participate. For the props, masks for those characters are needed, and there are many websites that provide the masks for children:
Also, Google image search provides good examples for the masks. A foam board and elastic band for the ear string can be purchased at dollar shops and craft stores.
- Extensions
1. Exploring what I am the best at – As we go through this book, we notice that everyone has different strength. Every child finds what he or she is the best at and draws or takes a picture of it. After drawing, we will hang the pictures on the wall with their name. So we can look at it when we come to the centre.
2. A relay of compliment on others strengths – From the first activity, the children find their strengths and have chance to look at other’s too. This activity is to practice what they have known about others. In a circle time, the teacher may start complimenting the child next to her, and then the child complement the child next to him, and the next child will continue to pass on the baton of complement.
3. Making an album “We’re the best” – As we know each other’s strength, why cannot we make an album for ourselves? We can use the pictures from the first activity. Put the child’s name and what she or he is the best with the picture; for example, “I’m Ji Ye, and I’m the best at being my mom’s best daughter”.
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