I'm a Lot of Sometimes: A Growing-Up Story of Identity

Growing Up

by Jack Guinan, Jack Guinan

Growing up can be oh-so confusing! Shhh, don't be so loud. Speak up! You've got to be the BIG brother now. You're much too little to go on the big rides. No matter where you are at any moment in your life, it's best to just be YOU.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals

24 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jody McGrath · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you are a child, you are trying to find out who you are. In this picture book, the main character learns that it is okay to be many different things, even if they contradict one another.

This book is for very young children. It is recommended for 3-5 year olds, but I think 2 year olds would also like it. It is about a boy (fox) who learns that sometimes he is one thing and sometimes he is another. Sometimes it is how he feels, like mad and happy, sometimes it is how he acts, like quiet and loud, and sometimes it is perspective, like small and big. It is very repetitive, which is perfect for small children. The illustrations are cute, but not too busy. The only complaint I had was some of the grammar was wrong to keep the repetition accurate. An example would be, "Sometimes...I'm hide. Sometimes...I'm seek." That bothered me some, because children are just learning correct speech and this is not correct.

I would recommend this book though. The message behind the story far outweighs the grammatical inconsistencies.

*I read and ARC of this book from Netgalley and have given an honest review *

[Novelesque Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY)

RATING: 4 STARS

A young fox discovers that he is many things...he can sometimes be shy and sometimes be bold...but whatever he is, he is always him which is special. A very inspiring and cute story for young kids - older toddlers to age 5 or 6. I would definitely recommend this book to small little tots.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are not always the same way. Sometimes we are big, and sometimes we are small. Sometimes we are strong, and sometimes we are weak. Sometimes we are shy, and sometimes we are loud. That's why we are a lot of sometimes. All those sometimes is who we are.

The text of this story is really playful, and it is easy for the kids to recognize themselves in the different situations the character goes through along the way. It also keeps the door open to add many other things the kids feel they sometimes are, but that are not in the book. In the way it is written, the book becomes plastic, workable to introduce examples of how the reader feels. I would say the best thing about I am a lot of sometimes is how easy it is to make it your own. The funny and cute illustrations perfectly fit the story.

Age range: 3 to 5 years old.

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find more children's book reviews in Reviews in Chalk

[Liza Fireman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A copy of this book was generously provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a Lot of Sometimes: A Growing-Up Story of Identity is a short story about growing up, and about how many different things we are. Most of the book contains also the contradictions in who we are "Sometimes I'm tall Sometimes I'm short. Sometimes I'm happy, Sometimes I'm sad".

The main thing is that I feel like we met this book already a million times before. 3 stars.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for review, as always the opinions are voluntary and my own.

This was a short and sweet picture book regarding a child's identity. The book itself is very cute and I found myself smiling at the pictures with the book. I think it is important for kids to realize they are their own person and I think this is a great book to have available to children to read and understand they are their own person.

I would certainly let my kid read this book or buy it for a kid. Super short, sweet and cute.

[Alicia Shelton · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an appealing book full of beautiful illustrations and one-line commentary about the feelings our little one’s experience and the confusion this feelings cause.

"Sometimes . . . I’m playful.
Sometimes I’m . . . mad"

The book brings a character that most kids will enjoy getting to know. The endearing unnamed bunny helps readers understand it’s okay to feel little and short at times and tall and powerful at other times; it’s okay just to be you.

I’m not sure the book appeals to the full range of 3- to 8-year-olds it aims to reach. It most certainly feels suited for those up to the age of 4 or so with its repetitive narrative and rhymes, but for the older range, 5- to 8-year-olds, it may be a stretch to hold their attention.

One odd note, and barely worth mentioning, is the publisher’s description. It almost seems as if the description is for a different book with its talk of being a "big brother" and being "too little to go on big rides." It sets an expectation you’ll come across these things in the book. Instead, the reader is required to interpret the generalities in the book are meant to align with the description.

The illustrations of this character are spot-on. We all have books we loved as a kid with a bunny in it, right? Right. While a bunny as the main character is nothing new, the bright colors along with one-line sentences to each page, simplify the reading process and make it fun and enjoyable. I can visualize a parent reading together with his or her child over and over—like kids love to do—until the child begins to recite the lines on his own, which is a sure sign of a loved children’s book.

While I have pointed out some oddities about the book, it’s a good read, and I enjoyed it. I think kids and parents, alike, will enjoy it. I give it 4 out of 5 stars, on a 5-star scale and 3 out of 4 on a 4-star scale.I'm a Lot of Sometimes: A Growing-Up Story of Identity

[Alycia Canfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested this book for the 3 year old in my life, it seems like sometimes life just kicks them and its just not right. I mean you have kids rides but yet that kids too short, that ones too tall, that parents too heavy to ride with them, that one does care enough or they have field trips in FREE public schools but yet these trips cost so much that families can't afford them or if they do the families going without dinner a few nights. I thought this would be a great book to show him hes not alone because even though he knows that it happens to big people he doesn't seem to see it in kids his age. Long story short I don't think he does still because it kind of found the bunny unrealistic I wish it had been real kids in the pictures. I received this on an honest review.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

I'm a lot of Sometimes by Jack Guinan was simply adorable and completely understandable to age appropriate children ages 3-5. I think this is a great book to read to children with special needs such as Autistic, Emotionally disturbed and intellectually disabled. This book had cute illustrations while simplifying the understanding that we are "..sometimes small, tall, sad, playful, loud, told, asked" etc. I would definitely recommend this book. I will take it a step further (I work for Special Education in an inner-city school district) and say this would also be a great addition to Pre-K classrooms and special classes.

[Romane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this was such a joy. I loved the illustrations so much, the bunny is so cute! Creative way to rhyme the words.

"I'm a whole lot of sometimes." Yup. That's a message I could relate to very well.

Not particularly memorable, but has great potential for story-time.

(Book source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Red Chair Press and NetGalley.)

[Chanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book with my 5-year-old son. This is a cute book with good illustrations that aren't so busy they take away from the narration. The premise of the book (I am/can be a lot of things) is a great message for young kids, and something I don't think they can hear enough of. He and I really enjoyed it.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Paul Franco · Rating 4 out of 5]

A humanized bunny goes through life showing how sometimes he fells one way and other times the contrary, all in a typical rhyming pattern of opposites: “Sometimes I’m big, sometimes I’m small, sometimes I’m short, sometimes I’m tall,” and so on. The subtitle basically explains its aim perfectly.
The artwork is okay, and the story hits its target, though there was room for more.
3.5 pushed up to 4/5

[jess ~has abandoned GR~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The lovely illustrations, word repetition, and use of opposites and sight words make this a great pick for reading to pre-readers or letting early readers read aloud. It is a solid book that belongs in every children's library.

I received this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was not what I was expecting based on title. Our little rabbit friend is sometimes tall, sometimes short...you get the idea. I would say that the message is not very clear. I guess you could say that each person can be the same and opposite of what they think they are? Who know’s. The illustrations are nice, but not great, and the story is so simple, I think it looses it point.

[NTE · Rating 4 out of 5]

The subtitle (A Growing-Up Story of Identity) is apt, the art work cheery and entertaining; the story, informative without being too preachy. Definitely fits into the "what the heck are feelings and what do I do with them" genre of picture books that's essential if you've got younger kids.

[Melissa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 3 year old loved it so much that she wanted to immediately read it again. She has ADHD so that's a big deal.

[ʕᵔᴥᵔʔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this story to my children. I like the illustrations of the rabbit and I like the message. This will easily be a book I will read again to them

[Andréa]

Note: I received a digital review copy of this book through NetGalley.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nicely illustrated rhyming book for toddlers and little people.

It's not too long and it's not too short. I read it to my daughter with ASD and she loved it.

[Morgan Sohl · Rating 4 out of 5]

got this from netgalley. cute story showing how growing up is filled with contradictions but it's best just to be yourself

[Poongothai · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book explaining the different things that we feel while growing up. Rhyming keeps us engrossed. Some grammar inconsistency is there

[Holly Letson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this much. I felt like "I'm" was used in many placed "I" should have been used.