Sam and the Big Kids

I Like to Read

by Emily Arnold McCully

Poor Sam! He wants to play with the big kids. "You are too small," they tell him. "Go home." But when the big kids need help, who saves the day? Sam, of course! New readers will relate to being excluded by older kids, and they'll cheer for Sam when he shows that he can help, even though he's not big. Watercolor illustrations with pen-and-ink highlight the subtle emotions in this charming book. An I Like to Read® book. Guided Reading Level E.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Childrens, Friendship

24 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2013

About the author

Emily Arnold McCully received the Caldecott Medal for Mirette on the High Wire. The illustrator of more than 40 books for young readers, she divides her time between Chatham, New York, and New York City.

Reviews

[Robin]

The "I Like To Read" series is wonderful- excellent picture book authors/illustrators bringing their skills to the early reader format. Managing to get a compelling plot out of such a limited word selection is amazing. Highly recommended for ages 4-7.

[Bethel Swift]

Simple yet empowering read for little ones. Lovely pen/ink & watercolor illustrations.

[Lynn Davidson]

Sam's big sister and her friend wouldn't let Sam play with them, saying he was too little. When they needed help it was Sam who got them help. Nicely illustrated.

[Erin]

This book just made me said

[Paula]

Poor bear cub Sam—his sister and her friend keep telling him to “go away”, that he’s “too little” when he very politely asks to join in their activities. The pattern continues as the big bears find a hide-out, build a fort and row to a small island. When their boat breaks loose and they discover they are stranded, Sam comes to their rescue and runs to get help. The moral of the story is that Sam isn’t too little after all. Very young readers and pre-readers will easily identify with Sam and his feelings of always being left out. Each spread has eye-catching ink-and-watercolor illustrations that capture the feelings of the characters—from Sam’s disappointment to the sister’s and friend’s smugness. The large illustrations are accompanied by only a sentence or two of easy text, making the book an ideal choice for beginning readers. The story is okay, but in the end, the antagonists still do not acknowledge Sam’s help or offer gratitude, unless perceptive readers infer it from the final page: the friends still are together in the front of the boat and Sam sits behind his mother, interested only in a fish. Perhaps they made up after all and we, the readers, were not privy to it. Purchase for young elementary and Pre-K patrons.

[Kristi Betts]

When Sam's big sister and her friend are playing outside, he asks if he can play too. She responds by telling Sam he is too small. Each time the big kids go to a new activity Sam wants to be involved too, but the response is always the same, "You are too small." the use of conversation between Sam and his sister increase the reading level of this text. A surprise ending will have young readers learning that although one can be too small to do some things, you can never be too small to help in a crisis. Themes associated with this title include the following: acceptance and belonging, early readers, and family and relationships.

This title is recommended for first graders or children from 4 to 8. It is aligned to the Common Core State Standards in kindergarten and first grade for Reading Standards for Foundational Skills, Informational Text, and Literature. In addition to the above, the book is also aligned to the CCSS for Language for first grade. Second grade CCSS alignments include Reading Standards for Literature and Speaking and Listening.

[Kate McGinty aka Caryn Caldwell]

All Sam wants is to tag along behind his big sister and her friend while they play. He tries to convince them to include him in their games, but they don't want a little kid around, so they use different ploys to try to lose him. When they find themselves in trouble, though, it turns out Sam is the only one who can help.

A nice, easy reader that addresses a situation many kids find themselves in -- whether they're the little kids who are often left out, or the older siblings who want to play by themselves. Would be a nice lead-in to discussions about sibling relationships -- for example, what children should do if they find themselves in either Sam's or his sister's shoes.

[Barbara]

Filled with luscious pen and ink and watercolor illustrations, this simple tale focuses on an experience with which many children will be familiar. When Sam wants to play with his sister and her friend, they tell him he is too little to play. But when they are stranded on an island, Sam proves that he is just big enough to help them get rescued. This is one of the titles in the "I Like to Read" series intended to encourage young readers.

[Christine]

Little ones will be familiar with the phrase "go away" from those bigger kids. Sam finds a way to get involved and save the day for those bigger kids that always tell him to go away. Beautiful and detailed pen and ink and watercolor illustrations accompany the simple text that younger readers would enjoy.

[Jodie]

Easy to read text makes this book a good choice for readers who are trying to read on their own. Pictures are watercolor washes and tie in well with the story. Sam just wants to play with the big kids and in the end he helps save the day.

[Sharon]

The big kids won't let Sam play with them, but when their boat floats away and they are stranded on the island, they change their tune. A very simple version of Aesop's moral, "Little friends can be great friends."

[Jen]

I don't like this one... the big kids are pretty mean, Sam goes along anyway, and in the end he has to help them. But they aren't ever nice and they never apologize (the book ends before they see Sam again after being rescued, so I guess you could make that part up).

[Amy Cheney]

Sam is too small until it's time to save the big kids.

[Shelli]

Sam and the Big Kids is a good level 1 picture book for young readers to attempt independent reading and build reading confidence.

[Elise]

I like the big characters words,easy to read. The repetition will help young reader to capture the words. It is short and precise.

[Edward Sullivan]

Sam is smaller but he saves the day.