The eight picture books Curtis and Cornell have collaborated on over the past 15 years offer cheerful, kid's-eye views of the world. This one bids to improve children's vocabulary with quick but entertaining lessons about dealing with some of the usual challenges of a young life. In bright, bouncing rhymes, the young narrator thus advises her younger readers to ask for privacy when they need to be alone, to persevere when they can't find the right puzzle piece, and to endeavor to cooperate at the shoe store. Cornell's playful watercolors have a similar bright, bouncy, spontaneous quality and contain plenty of diverting details the long line of people waiting for the elaborate water slide is arranged to spell out the word patience. At the end of the book, the narrator gets to three big words that are pretty short but nonetheless crucially important: family, respect, and love. With their unpreachy appreciation of differences and imperfections, Curtis and Cornell manage to make their message fresh.--Nolan, Abby Copyright 2008 Booklist

Curtis's celebration of language is also a vehicle to teach young children how behaviors can affect communication. Whether a little one needs privacy in the bathroom or must deal with a consequence for exploding bubble gum in class, learning to be responsible and considerate helps one to cooperate. Clear, example-filled definitions balanced with Cornell's energetic drawings of active multiethnic children in familiar, everyday scenarios will have little ones developing their vocabulary with multisyllabic words like persevere and stupendous as they absorb the traditional golden rule of treating everyone with respect. Curtis concludes her theme with the one word all children understand, love, a little word with a huge significance. A gracefully appropriate addition to the duo's superb collection. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

PreS-Gr 2-Throughout the trials and errors of growing up, children are bound to hear some big words from the adults around them-words that are big in size and in meaning. In rhyming verse, Curtis explains some of these important terms and just when young listeners might encounter them. "If you need some time/to just be alone,/for doing weird dancing,/to sit still as stone,/if someone is there/and you need to pee,/then say loud and clear, 'Hey, I need PRIVACY!'" Through the course of an average day, the spunky multicultural siblings depicted in Cornell's childlike watercolors encounter many other concepts, including "consequence," "cooperate," "appropriate," "patience," "family," "respect," and "love." Each word is highlighted in hand lettering by the illustrator. Some of the verses are awkwardly worded in order to complete the rhyme, but the author's fans are unlikely to care. More notably, Curtis once again demonstrates her trademark sensibility for childhood's simultaneously awkward and silly moments while focusing on the positive values learned from these experiences. Cornell keeps the tone ever lighthearted with her charmingly busy illustrations. This is a solid addition to any picture-book collection and a must-have where the author has a strong following.-Jayne Damron, Farmington Community Library, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.