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212th out of 332 books
—
339 voters
You Are Special
by
Max Lucado
Every day the small wooden people called Wemmicks do the same thing: stick either gold stars or gray dots on one another. The pretty ones--those with smooth wood and fine paint--always get stars. The talented ones do, too. Others, though, who can do little or who have chipped paint, get ugly gray dots. Like Punchinello.
In this heartwarming children's tale from the best-sel...more
In this heartwarming children's tale from the best-sel...more
Hardcover, 31 pages
Published
June 30th 1997
by Crossway Books
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One of my high school teachers gave this to me when she was leaving to go to another high school. I was the girl who always was quiet so I had a teacher or two tell me that I wasn't going to get very far. But there were a few in the 11th and 12th grade who convinced me that I was more than my shyness. This book reminds me of that time and how far I've gotten since then from only saying 1 word a year to not being afraid of strangers. It always convinces me again that I am special. And on a plus n...more
This is a beautifully designed and illustrated spiritual book for toddlers and children. It is also very well written, and it is enjoyable to read in its own right. It carries a very simple message – we are all God’s creatures, and he loves us despite (or sometimes even because) of our many flaws and defects. The labels and categories that we put each other in are irrelevant. What really matters is how God views us and what He thinks of us. All we need to do is accept God’s love and spend some t...more
Title: You are Special Author: Max Lucado Illustrated by: Sergio Martiaez Genre: Fantasy/ Science Fiction Age Level: P; I Date: 1997
The story is about Wemmicks who go around and give each other stars or dot stickers. Punchinello always gets dots and is afraid to come out. He does not want any more dots. He talks to a girl, Lucia who has no dots or stars. The stickers don’t stick to her. She tells him to speak to Eli, the wood carver. He did and Eli told him that all that matters was what he thou...more
The story is about Wemmicks who go around and give each other stars or dot stickers. Punchinello always gets dots and is afraid to come out. He does not want any more dots. He talks to a girl, Lucia who has no dots or stars. The stickers don’t stick to her. She tells him to speak to Eli, the wood carver. He did and Eli told him that all that matters was what he thou...more
The main idea of "You Are Special" by Max Lucado is that children everywhere, regardless of how the word evaluates them, God cherishes each of them just the way they are! The tale is about a woodcarver named Eli who helps Punchinello understand how special he is no matter what anyone else says! The small wooden people named Wimmicks label one another. For example, they put gold stars or gray dots on one another only if they are pretty and talented. Others than do little, have chipped paint, and...more
The first time I read this book I cried. I was 26 years old and found this children's book on the shelf at my friend's house. I opened it and read it and found myself within the pages of the book.
You Are Special is the story of wooden people called the Wemmicks. Everyday the Wemmicks would give shiny stars to the Wemmicks that did amazing things and gave black dots to Wemimicks that did things wrong.
One particular Wemmick, Punchinello kept getting dots put on him, as he was a little clumsy. One...more
You Are Special is the story of wooden people called the Wemmicks. Everyday the Wemmicks would give shiny stars to the Wemmicks that did amazing things and gave black dots to Wemimicks that did things wrong.
One particular Wemmick, Punchinello kept getting dots put on him, as he was a little clumsy. One...more
8 likes
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Written by Max Lucado and illustrated by Sergio Martinez. Published by Candle Books, copyright 2004.
Grade level: 2nd and up
In the town of the wooden people called "Wemmicks," the wooden people give one another praise in the form of gold stars, or they give insults in the form of grey dots. Poor little Punchinello can't get a star no matter how hard he tries, so he goes to meet his maker. It is only then that he learns that he is special to his maker, no matter what others think of him.
I absol...more
Grade level: 2nd and up
In the town of the wooden people called "Wemmicks," the wooden people give one another praise in the form of gold stars, or they give insults in the form of grey dots. Poor little Punchinello can't get a star no matter how hard he tries, so he goes to meet his maker. It is only then that he learns that he is special to his maker, no matter what others think of him.
I absol...more
Jan 26, 2012
Ali
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
reviewed,
parent-friendly
You are special tells the story of Eli, the woodcarver, and the society of wooden people he creates called, Wemmicks. Wemmicks spend their days placing stickers on one another as a way of expressing their feelings: those who were appreciated received yellow "stars", those who were not would get gray "dots". There was only one Wemmick who never got any stars. His name was Punchinello. He was sad that no one gave him stars and he thought that, because of his gray dots, he was worthless. Until, one...more
PB9
I absolutely loved this book. The message is fantastic. The religious message might make the book seem inappropriate for the classroom setting, but the book is nevertheless really brilliant. I have read this book a few times and every time I read it, I feel empowered about handling the judgement of other people especially as a Christian. The lesson is wonderful and even though the "Wemmicks" are not even people, the reader can so easily identify with the trouble they go through. I loved the p...more
I absolutely loved this book. The message is fantastic. The religious message might make the book seem inappropriate for the classroom setting, but the book is nevertheless really brilliant. I have read this book a few times and every time I read it, I feel empowered about handling the judgement of other people especially as a Christian. The lesson is wonderful and even though the "Wemmicks" are not even people, the reader can so easily identify with the trouble they go through. I loved the p...more
Oct 14, 2012
Maleigha
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
individualism,
acceptance,
bullying,
diversity,
friendship,
illustrations,
motivation,
self-confidence
"You Are Special" continues to be one of my favorite books. The main idea of the story is to show children that they are wonderful, special individuals... regardless of how the world evaluates them; which relates to the idea of everybody being different. The main character, Punchinello, is not as pretty, smart, or talented as the others in his community, yet in the end he discovers that what others think does not matter. In this Religion genre text Eli, the woodcarver, represents the creator of...more
Apr 16, 2013
Christina Davis
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
change,
concept-book,
educ-x461,
elementary,
fantasy,
kindergarten,
life-lessons,
own,
picture-book,
pre-k,
prejudice
Punchinello is a wooden doll made by a woodcarver named Eli. He lives in a town called Wemmick, where other wooden dolls live, all made by Eli. All the dolls in the town gave each other star stickers for doing something special, like using big words or having smooth wood and fine paint. They wood give gray dot stickers for those who had chipped paint or other things that they felt undesirable. Punchinello had lots of gray dots and never got any stars. This made him feel bad. He went to see Eli,...more
The perfect book to read to a student who feels as though they are not good enough to fit in or are different from those around them. The moral of this story is that you don't have to be like everyone else. Each person has their own way of being special and the opinions of others do not define you. I am in love with this book. I feel like many children feel unwanted and they desire for someone to tell them they are cared about and are special. In our cruel world, it is too often that people are...more
Dec 04, 2008
Scott
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
spirituality,
children
This is on the coffee table in my therapy office. In my work with children, I frequently have parents read to their children books that will enhance self-esteem. This is one that does it through a spiritual message, emphasizing that we are special because of how our Maker sees us, rather than because of self-generated esteem or the esteem of others. In fact, it suggests that greater self-esteem comes when we let neither the criticisms nor the compliments of others stick, and instead look to our...more
3 likes
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like
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This book still makes me cry, even though I have read it a million times. Whenever I feel alone or distant from God or unworthy to be called his child, this is the book I turn to. I don't know how many copies of this book I have given away as presents, none to children.
5 likes
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like
· see review
Another book my mom gave me when I was having one of 'those' days. I never felt special growing up, much like Punchinello. I probably would have had lots of gray dots and no gold stars either! While the book was written for children to understand that God loves them no matter what, I was given the book when I was probably about 15 or 16. The message was still loud and clear - but I didn't see Eli as God... to me, he was my parents.
This is another one of those books that I still have on the shel...more
This is another one of those books that I still have on the shel...more
Dec 29, 2011
Susie Brazeau
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-every-child-should-experience
I like to read books to my children that will enhance their self-esteem. This is one that does it through a spiritual message, emphasizing that we are special because of how our Maker sees us, rather than because of self-generated esteem or the esteem of others. In fact, it suggests that greater self-esteem comes when we let neither the criticisms nor the compliments of others stick, and instead look to our creator for our perspective on our worth. In my personal philosophy, I deemphasize the no...more
Jun 15, 2009
Julie Suzanne
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Monotheists, UUs, people who enjoyed the Sneetches, everyone
Recommended to Julie by:
A UU minister
I would never have picked up this book on my own, what with the unfortunate title, but I'm ever so grateful that I found it on my Unitarian Universalist minister's bookshelf. If I were Christian, this would be a 5-star book, so I recommend it to monotheists. This is basically a Sneetches with a Christian spin that had both me and my son sitting in silent contemplation and wonder, flippng through the pages and thinking more deeply about that "mystery which some people call God." It then prompted...more
This is a fantastic book that teaches everyone that reads it, regardless of their age, that it is more important to love yourself than to care what other people think of you. There will always be people judging you and telling you that you aren't good enough. But this book has a beautiful message that you were created to be unique and you are not a mistake. I love this book because it is a god reminder that I am in charge of how I will live my life. Little Punchinello is someone I think we can a...more
Feb 19, 2013
Stacey
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-books,
children-classics
Punchinello is a Wemmick, a Wemmick with a great amount of gray dots. Gray dots are the complete opposite of gold stars, and you get gold stars for being talented or popular. Punchinello is feeling down on himself until he meets Lucia who doesn’t have a single dot or star on her and she speaks of the woodcarver who helped her feel this way.
I quite honestly thought that this book was life-changing as a little kid. It was just a wonderful book with a wonderful message. And now rereading it this is...more
I quite honestly thought that this book was life-changing as a little kid. It was just a wonderful book with a wonderful message. And now rereading it this is...more
Punchinello lives in a village of Wemmicks or wooden people. They go around putting dots or stars on each other depending on if they have done bad things or good things. Punchinello meets Lucia who has no stars or dots on her and wants to find out how he can be like her. The story teaches the importance of not letting what other people think of you get you down or determine who you will ultimately become. It is also a wonderful parable of life that we should care more about what God thinks of us...more
Great book, good message, wonderful illustrations.
This is a wonderful children's book that will touch adults just as powerfully, I think. It is beautifully illustrated! It reminds me of my all-time favorite of favorites children's book, "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams.
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit..."Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you..."
"You Are Special" is a sensitive, gentle, sweet and important book for c...more
"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit..."Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"
"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you..."
"You Are Special" is a sensitive, gentle, sweet and important book for c...more
This book is inspirational and really makes you feel good about who you are. It makes me feel like its okay to stray away from what the world thinks as normal and be my own individual. God made me unlike any other and I should embrace that; I feel like that is what this books is portraying to children reading this book. Every child should read this book so that they can understand that is okay to be exactly who they are no matter what. I will always read this to my children when I have some of m...more
Feb 04, 2012
Elise
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone, every age!
This is THE BEST BOOK EVER!!!! It does not matter how old you are this book speaks to all ages!
Whether you are 6 and get picked on for not having a cool toy
or in high school and really insecure about yourself and how you look and compare yourself to other people this book it for you! A book for all ages! It might be a kids book but it can speak to all of us. I remember as a kid when my mom read this book to me. Such a touching story!
Do not compare your self to anyone! Be like Punchinello and let...more
Whether you are 6 and get picked on for not having a cool toy
or in high school and really insecure about yourself and how you look and compare yourself to other people this book it for you! A book for all ages! It might be a kids book but it can speak to all of us. I remember as a kid when my mom read this book to me. Such a touching story!
Do not compare your self to anyone! Be like Punchinello and let...more
This is a great book for any age. I first read it as a teenager, and felt it was so applicable then. In this story, the characters use dots to mark people they don't like, and those with many dots feel like they are defined by their dots. Eventually, their maker shows them how to make the dots fall off, so they don't stick, by not caring what the others think. No matter your age, I think we all need a reminder that we shouldn't let others define how we feel about ourselves, because ultimately wh...more
Do the cares of this world and what others think of you make you feel like just a nameless face in the crowd? You Are Special by Max Lucado may be a children's book, but adults can learn valuable lessons from it as well.
Continue reading on Examiner.com You Are Special by Max Lucado; book review 9 of 365 Best Children's Books Ever - San Francisco fiction | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/fiction-in-sa...
Lovely story and gentle reminder to us all that each of us is unique in our own way, both in our strengths and weaknesses. We shouldn't apply the same standards to other people, but view others as God's varied creations who are crafted by hand--in God's image, known by name, and valued.
We can feel lacking in comparison to other people, just as others may view us so, but that does not diminish God's high value of us.
A very simple story with a strong and true message, to read for everyone, childre...more
We can feel lacking in comparison to other people, just as others may view us so, but that does not diminish God's high value of us.
A very simple story with a strong and true message, to read for everyone, childre...more
Dec 07, 2011
Gordon Pennington
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
picture-book
The Wemmicks were small wooden people carved by the woodworker Eli. Each Wemmick he created differently. The Wemmicks spent all day in their villages handing out stickers to people they say. There were star stickers and gray circle stickers. Everyone wanted the stars because they felt so good upon receiving one. Punchinello did not have very many talents so he did not get any star stickers, only more dots. He got so many dot stickers, he did not even want to go outside. Other village members sai...more
I read this book a lot when i was little. My husband has never read it. I have always loved it, but now even more. We lost our first two babies to miscarriage and are now pregnant with our third. I borrowed this book from the library and we read it to this little one one night before bed. My husband immediately wanted to go out and buy it. It is an awesome book with a message that we had always wanted our kids to hear, especially after what we have been through. That they are SPECIAL. each and e...more
I think everyone should read this book even though it's not funny. It talks about what everyone, I believe, in real world, needs. Everyday in our live people laugh at people, make fun of people, bullying people who are weaker than them. In this book, the main character is the one people bullied, in this puppet town, they put stickers on people to judge them. the main character doesn't know much things so he got bad stickers all over him, but at last he got them all off, read the story to find ou...more
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Max Lucado has touched millions with his signature storytelling writing style. Awards and accolades follow Max with each book he writes. Max is the first author to win the Gold Medallion Christian Book of the Year three times—1999 for Just Like Jesus, 1997 for In the Grip of Grace and 1995 for When God Whispers Your Name. In 2005, Reader’s Digest dubbed him “America’s Best Preacher.” In addition,...more
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“Who are they to give stars or dots? They're Wemmicks just like you."
Eli to Punchinello (p. 25)”
—
34 people liked it
More quotes…
Eli to Punchinello (p. 25)”
Aug 08, 2010 04:26pm