It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel
It's hard to be five. Just yelled at my brother. My mind says do one thing. My mouth says another.It's fun to be five! Big changes are here! My body's my car, and I'm licensed to steer.
Learning not to hit? Having to wait your turn? Sitting still? It's definitely hard to be five. But Jamie Lee Curtis's encouraging text and Laura Cornell's playful illustrations make the struggles of self-control a little bit easier and a lot more fun!
This is the sixth inspired book from the #1 New York Times best-selling team of Today I Feel Silly: & Other Moods That Make My Day and I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self Esteem. From Publishers Weekly From School Library Journal From Booklist Perfect for any 5 year old Getting a Handle on Yourself at Five A book that helped my 5-year old!Product Details
Editorial Reviews
The creative team behind Today I Feel Silly amiably addresses the challenges of being a five-year-old—especially the pesky problem of learning self-control. In the story's wry opening, the narrator observes, "It's hard to be five. I'm little no more. Good old days are gone. 'Bye one, two, three, four." Among the trials he faces are controlling his temper when dealing with his younger brother ("My mind says do one thing, my mouth says another"), avoiding dirt and starting school ("School seems so scary. School seems so strange. I'm only five. My whole world's going to change"). Curtis's singsong verse also focuses on some of the pluses of being five: though his brother is strapped into a stroller, the hero can walk by himself ("It's fun to be five! Big changes are here! My body's my car, and I'm licensed to steer") and school entails some entertaining activities ("At five I'm a worker—a bee among bees. I build things and grow things, say thank you and please"). Cornell's buoyant, teeming spreads and spot illustrations convey the boundless energy and changeable moods of this likeable five-year-old with on-target, hyperbolic humor. Though the narrative winds to a rather corny close, this cheerful book with its clever visual details will surely appeal to fans of the collaborators' earlier books as well as those looking for a reassuring, age-appropriate tale for the kindergartner in their lives. Ages 4-8.
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PreSchool-Grade 1–This tongue-in-cheek look at what it feels like to be five will result in uproarious laughter from kids, smiles of recognition from parents, and a cause for pause for any adult involved in a youngster's care. The protagonist is aware of what he has been taught to say: " 'Would you ever so kindly please give me my wig back?'" but, "my mouth says, 'IT'S MINE!'" While waiting his turn on a car ride, the big brother's mind thinks, "It's been an hour and nine minutes. Might I have a smidge of a turn before we have to leave?" However, it comes out, " 'MOM!'" Splashy, vibrant colors capture the typical surroundings through all of the exaggerated, larger-than-life phases of growing up, while the childlike, handwritten text draws viewers right in to the full-page, familiar busyness. Self-control, starting school, and independence–they're all here. Whether read aloud, shared one-on-one, or read independently, giggles and laughter will abound.–Wanda Meyers-Hines, Ridgecrest Elementary School, Huntsville, AL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PreS-K. Curtis is perhaps the best known of the celebrity authors, and along with illustrator Cornell has had several best-sellers. This one will get lots of publicity, too, but it is a convoluted offering. A five-year-old talks about his angst. "Little no more," the child has to learn how to control his mouth, go to school, and deal with outgrowing his clothes. An overly long text is punctuated with banal rhyme: "It's hard to be five / Parents want you all clean. / But washing my face makes me crabby and mean." Then it's "fun to be five! / Big changes are here! My body's my care / and I'm licensed to steer." Scratchy, simple line drawings mixed with occasional, interesting full-color artwork illustrate the story. Libraries will want to buy this if there's demand. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reservedCustomer Reviews
My 5 year old has been giving me such a hard time lately. When I saw the title of this book in the library, I checked it out and brought it home. I was not expecting much because I am not a big fan of the actress, but when I read it, I started to cry! It gave me a completely new perspective of my little girl's behavior. I realized the stress that this big transition in life is putting on her. Besides the character being the opposite sex, he was experiencing the exact problems of my daughter. He even had a baby sibling like she does. She related to him right away, and both of us felt much better. That night, she was giving me a hard time, so I scolded her. She told me, "Yes, I know, Mommy. But it is SO00 hard for me to be 5!" I couldn't help to laugh!
The only problem I have with this book is the wording. Some of it is hard for a 5 year old to understand. For example, "At five I hear no and don't - I can't win - when balls bowl inside at my ten juice-box pins." But the content of the book was so amazing, I still had to give it 5 stars!
When one of my sons was five, he would get very angry about virtually anything. If you were in the vicinity, it was dangerous. He was kicked out of three pre-schools before we found one where he felt comfortable and peaceful. Whew!
It's hard to know how to talk to a child at that stage. I wish that It's Hard to Be Five had been around for that year.
The book opens on a sympathetic note:
"It's hard to be five. I'm little no more. Good old days are gone. 'Bye one, two, three, four." Across the way, a tiny brother is happily playing. "It's hard to be five. Just yelled at my brother."
The boy reveals that his mouth has a mind of its own, his clothes don't fit because he's growing, he can't stand being told "no," he loves to be dirty while his parents want him clean, school is scary, he wants to hit when someone cuts in line, he bit someone else for cutting in line, and he hates sitting still.
The boy also shares a rich fantasy life as a ninja chopping bad guys.
A major reversal occurs when the boy decides that his body is a car and he's licensed to steer. Then, it's fun to be five. He works, builds, and grows plants.
It's clear when to walk and when to run, when to stop and when to go, and when to push and when to tow.
He also becomes more forgiving of himself:
"And when I mess up or do right, it's a start 'cause I have my own mind and I have my own heart."
He concludes, "It's hard fun to be five so strong and so loud. Give me five 'cause I know it. I'm here and I'm proud!"
The illustrations add a lot of fun and depth to the messages. The two page spread at the front bound inside the cover shows a control panel on the boy that's turned off with a big panic button in the middle. There's a meltdown meter tied to an alarm clock that gives second warnings and finally a China Syndrome alert while steam seems to be emerging from his ears. The back inside cover has a parallel two page spread that shows the control panel is A-OK, he is running smoothly, he's not afraid, and there's no need to worry.
If your child knows a boy who has similar problems, your child might even enjoy sharing the book with the troubled boy.
This book was perfect for my 5-year-old son. Why? When I read it to him, you could almost see him nodding. That's how he felt! It helped him to put words to his emotions of starting full-time kindergarten to having a younger sibling. Made him feel normal and hopeful that things he was having trouble with, friends, temper, school... would get better, and because being 5 is great! The illustrations are awesome, because while you read the book or after, you and your child can look for the small details within the illustrations to discuss. Overall, this is the book that I would buy again and again for a 5-year old!
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