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Free to Be...You and Me (The 35th Anniversary Edition)
This is the book we all know and love by Marlo Thomas and her friends—brought to new life with brand new illustrations to captivate and inspire a new generation of readers on a journey of the heart. Whether you are opening Free to Be . . . You and Me for the first time or the one hundredth time you will be engaged and transformed by this newly beautifully illustrated compi...more
Hardcover, 136 pages
Published
October 14th 2008
by Running Press Kids
(first published June 1974)
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Although this is a collection of poems and short stories, I have included it in my "poetry" selections. I loved listening to record and casette tape recordings of the original version of this book as a child. This is actually the 35th anniversary edition, which I rediscovered recently at the library. As I pour over this new version, I can hear all of the songs, stories and poems in my head read by the likes of Alan Alda, Marlo Thomas, Mel Brooks, Carol Channing, and other big names. This book is...more
I have loved FREE TO BE ... YOU AND ME since its original publication in 1972. Heather has loved it since Grandma and I introduced her to it when she was a little girl. I bought the 35th anniversary edition last Christmas for my niece's daughter, and I just bought one for Heather (and me). I spent some wonderful time last night reading, remembering, and getting to know the changes made for the anniversary edition - new illustrations by gifted artists using contemporary artistic tools, more wise...more
I had never read this book before today. I always passed it over because of the outdated illustrations (yes, it was first published a mere four years before I was born. Let's move on.) The contents are wonderful, but you'd expect that from contributors like Judy Blume and Shel Silverstein and Judith Viorst. What made me fall in love were the illustrations - oh, the illustrations! The artists of the new illustrations include Henry Cole (And Tango Makes Three), Peter H. Reynolds (Judy Moody series...more
Feb 11, 2008
Maria
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all kids
Recommended to Maria by:
Aunt Viv--the coolest
Quite simply, *the* classic 1970's children's book. Mention this book at a party with your contemporaries and separate the cool kids from the dreck. ;-)
This book was given to me by a friend of the family. It will always stand in my mind as one of the weirdest story collections I've ever read. Some of the stories were poignant, some disturbing, some comforting. A couple tried too hard to bang you over the head with their Differentness. But if a book is a time capsule, this is the best possible window into the late 60s and early 70s, into the hard work of busting gender stereotypes and using fiction to nurture a new generation with a stronger min...more
Reviewed by Jaglvr for Kids @ TeensReadToo.com
I was a young child when FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME was first released. My elementary school even used songs from FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME for a spring concert. As I reviewed this book now, as an adult, I was still amazed that I could hum the tunes to the songs written as poems in the book.
FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME is one of those rare gems that have managed to stand the test of time. Updated with vibrant new illustrations, FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME takes c...more
I was a young child when FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME was first released. My elementary school even used songs from FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME for a spring concert. As I reviewed this book now, as an adult, I was still amazed that I could hum the tunes to the songs written as poems in the book.
FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME is one of those rare gems that have managed to stand the test of time. Updated with vibrant new illustrations, FREE TO BE...YOU AND ME takes c...more
I'm as old as Free to Be... You and Me by Marlo Thomas (and friends). The book, record and TV special were some of the inescapable things in my childhood (no matter how hard I tried!) and now the book is back and it landed (uninvited) on my doorstep for review.
As Ms. Thomas explains in the beginning of the book she was inspired to create Free to Be... You and Me when her niece complained about all the books having princesses who need to be rescued. My response would have been: you're reading the...more
As Ms. Thomas explains in the beginning of the book she was inspired to create Free to Be... You and Me when her niece complained about all the books having princesses who need to be rescued. My response would have been: you're reading the...more
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I almost played this cassette out when I was a kid - and when I discovered the book in my school library, I was ecstatic. It was so much fun to see pictures to go with the songs in my head.
The new version brings back all sorts of great memories, and inspired me to buy the full CD (sadly, the one with the book is only a few tracks). I'm looking forward to sharing this with my daughter when she gets older.
The new version brings back all sorts of great memories, and inspired me to buy the full CD (sadly, the one with the book is only a few tracks). I'm looking forward to sharing this with my daughter when she gets older.
A breath of fresh air. I will definitely be reading this book out loud to my son. A beautiful message of being who ou are and being loved and accepted no matter what your difference is. I can see why it has been such a withstanding collection. The songs are cute, the stories have meaning and the poems are just fun. The illustrations are wonderful. Bravo!
I loved this book. I loved how they read Atalanta aloud and they had matching voice when they broke the ribbon that marked the races end... I loved the song "You might be pretty" - still do. I remember taking the record to school I think in about 3rd grade and we got to listen to it at indoor recess during lunch.
The video of this is even better than the book.
Mommies are people
Daddies are people
People with children
PEOPLE with children
living with children and things that they do
there are a lot of things
a lot of Mommies
and a lot of Daddies
can do.
Valuable life lessons.
Mommies are people
Daddies are people
People with children
PEOPLE with children
living with children and things that they do
there are a lot of things
a lot of Mommies
and a lot of Daddies
can do.
Valuable life lessons.
It's so much fun to revisit this feminist children's classic! The new illustrations are great, and the stories only feel a little dated. I only refrain from giving it five stars because the CD that came with it only has three songs on it. Ivy loves it too. =)
Jul 07, 2011
Rebecca Radnor
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
gender-studies
Will never forgive my mom for giving this away when I was away at college, Saw the show as a kid and LOVED it, got the book and the record and memorized all the songs. "you're bald, you're bald bald bald, you're bald as ping pong ball, you're bald!"
This book is... depending on who reads them. It might turn out to be a very good book teaching us to be brave enough to be ourself. Unfortunately I bought the book at used-condition and no CD included :( So I can't listen to the songs.
Dec 27, 2009
Suzi Katz
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
parents with little kids
Free to Be You and Me brings back so many memories from my childhood. It was exciting to share this book with my daughter who loved it. The songs were also available on iTunes so I could buy them as well.
Nov 19, 2008
Jackie
added it
I read this book to pieces as a child and nearly wore the groves off the LP. I can't wait to check out the 35th anniversary edition and revisit a very special part of my childhood.
The magic and wonders of childhood contained within the pages of this extraordinarily magnificent book! The television program (or was it tv special?) and the music is just as fantastic!
My mom used to read this to me as a little girl. I just bought a 35th anniversary edition for my daughter - although I miss the artwork from the 70s in the updated version
I had to give this 5 stars because this book defined me. I don't love all of the pieces in it, but the ones I do love make up for the less great ones. Great for boys or girls.
im not really sure at all wether this is the book i meant to rate. so if is ends up being some really stupid or perverted book then dont hold it against me.
Actually, I just picked up the 35th anniversary edition of this book -- with CD included.
I raised my cool children on this book - need I say more?
I raised my cool children on this book - need I say more?
This is a simple poetry, song book about love, family, gender, creativity and the joy of freedom. It is a very cutsie book for probably lower elementary, I don't think I would use it in my classroom at the 4/5 level.
One of the few books that I really remember enjoying when I was little, so glad that it is re-published for my children to enjoy.
This book changed my life forever- and I never tire of it. I read it as a child, an adult, and with my own children.
How can I even rate something that worked its way into my thinking when I was a toddler?
Dec 27, 2008
Daniel Levesque
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
eternally-re-reading
Every kid should have this book. EVERY SINGLE ONE.
Free to Be You and Me by Marlo Thomas (2002)
Is this a book?? I still have the album!
This one came across my radar when my girls were small and became a favorite with them and also wtih me. Clever and thought provoking and grounded in good common sense approaches to growing good character. Of course the edition we had was the original one in the 1970's or 1980's? but this is the same cover. We also had the recording -- you know, those big 33 1/3 RPM vinyl things in a nice cardboard sleeve that looked just like the book cover here. I can still sing along in my head at times -- th...more
One of my favorites from my childhood.
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