Usually, I’m not one to recommend a celebrity author’s book but Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell is a riot! Naturally I am drawn to a book that encourages vocabulary, especially words that help little people navigate their world encouraging them to cooperate, persevere, respect, celebrate and use patience, to name a few. Chewing gum at school means “you stay inside when your friends get to play, your CONSEQUENSE is no recess that day.” You CELEBRATE a superb job, you COOPERATE while shopping with Dad when the salesman gets irate, use PATIENCE while waiting your turn at the water slide, be CONSIDERATE of others, and know that “DIFFERENT is what makes the world so great.”
But what makes this book so great and a standout, is not only the messages of getting along, and using grown-up behaviors, but the clever, hilarious illustrations by Laura Cornell. According to her bio she started in pre-med. This is one woman I am glad never became a doctor! Reading this book to your child or classroom is one thing, but try to move on to the next page without examining all the clever detail on each page! Whether it is a picture of Julie Andrews tucked into a keepsake box, “glowy teeth with bleach and antibiotics” on the toothpaste tube or silly descriptions on shoe boxes, each page is loaded with playful detail to make children and adults laugh.
To add to the fun, go to the author and illustrator’s website, wwwlauracornellbooks.com for teacher’s ideas for the classroom which are also ideal for a parent to apply.
