WOW! It Sure Is Good To Be You!

Written & Illustrated By Cynthia Jabar

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618581324
• ISBN-13: 978-0618581320

This jazzy story reaffirms that even when people who love you are far away, they are thinking of you all the time and loving you as the “cool-girl brave and strong” that they know you to be! Just right for encouraging self-esteem, this book celebrates the relationships girls have with moms, aunts, sisters, friends, and everyone who loves them. Bright, energetic illustrations and onomatopoetic, rhythmic poetry make this a fun read-aloud and a great gift for young and old!

BOOK REVIEWS

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

"This ebullient picture book puts a spotlight on loved ones who light our lives from far away. . . . This heartfelt yet lighthearted offering is packed with child appeal." –SLJ 

PreSchool-Grade 2–This ebullient picture book puts a spotlight on loved ones who light our lives from far away. The narrative reassures a young pigtailed girl, Somebody, somewhere,/is thinking about you...Loves you…/more than brothers love to tease,/loves you even more than dogs have fleas,/and that's a lot, too!/Loving you is their favorite thing to do./Wow!/It sure is good to be you! The pictures show the vivacious youngster receiving phone calls, mailing and reading letters, experiencing moments both happy and sad, and going about her day-to-day activities. Finally, at story's end, her ever-encouraging relative arrives for a visit. The rhythmic, mostly rhyming text reads aloud like a chorus of adoration from one person to another. The muted hues and flat perspectives used in the childlike cartoons give the artwork a retro feel. The characters move gracefully across the pages, while the backgrounds are decorated with dots, stars, flowers, and hearts in eye-pleasing pastel shades. The empowering language and the images of the young protagonist as she pursues her various interests or stands up to a bully shout positive girl-power attitude and provide a strong dose of self-esteem. This heartfelt yet lighthearted offering is packed with child appeal.  –Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY
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