In the vein of Kathi Appelt's Incredible Me! and Jamie Lee Curtis's picture books, this is a celebration of the self--as expressed, in this case, by an exuberant girl. Some of the rhymes are obvious, but Catrow deftly interprets the more original ones ("I'd still like me with fleas or warts, / or with a silly snout that snorts") in his surreal illustrations.

I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont (Baby Danced the Polka), illus. by David Catrow, is a breezy affirmation of self. The rhymes can be goofy (""""I'd still like me with fleas or warts,/ or with a silly snout that snorts""""), but even when they are straightforward, as they are in the beginning (""""I like me on the inside too/, for all I think and say and do""""). Catrow's (Plantzilla) typically zany illustrations up-end them (for the """"I like me on the inside"""" verse, he shows the narrator and her horrified dog in X-ray mode).

PreS-Gr 2-This curly haired African-American moppet really likes herself. No matter what she does, wherever she goes, or what others think of her, she likes herself because, as she says, "I'm ME!" Catrow's watercolor, ink, and pencil illustrations bring even more humor to the funny verse. The brightly colored art and rhymes are reminiscent of Dr. Seuss's work with their quirky absurdity, especially the full spread of the child and her highly unusual bicycle. Even with "-stinky toes/or horns protruding from my nose," her dog loves her unconditionally. She is so full of joy that readers will love her, too-even when she has purple polka-dotted lips. Titles such as Jamie Lee Curtis's I'm Gonna Like Me (2002) and Kathi Appelt's Incredible Me! (2003, both HarperCollins) have a similar theme, but the main characters are Caucasian. A great addition.-Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.