Am I Big or Little?

Am I Big or Little? by Margaret Park and Tracy Dockray (illus.) is a fun library check out. It is a simple book about the conflict between being big and little at the same time--perfect for toddlers and young preschoolers who also have little siblings at home. How often do we tell our little ones to "act like a big girl" or "you're too little for..."? Park does a nice job of juxtaposing these ideas ("little enough to sit on Mommy's lap but big enough to put my arms around her"), and gives both the mother and child a voice. The illustrations leave a little bit to be desired, particularly the consistency of perspective in the mother's face. It just doesn't work for me on some pages. In addition, the illustrations picture a young girl, so this may limit its audience. However, the illustrations overall are cute and work well with the text. This book is often requested by my two year old (who happens to have young brothers at home!).