I WANT IT!

Learning to play together is a challenge.

A short-haired child in blue jeans and a striped shirt happily plays with toys from a red box. The child has plenty to say about all the items: “Mine!” The car: “Go.” A miniature figure with a soccer ball: “Goal.” A plane: “I can fly.” The child is surrounded by toys but… “What?” A smaller, younger-looking child with pigtails in ribbons and a pink polka-dot shirt is playing with a small blue car: “Beep.” The bigger child wrestles the car away: “I want it.” “Wah!” wails the smaller child. This tale of a familiar domestic conflict uses only a handful of words, all in dialogue balloons, accompanied by artwork that offers plenty of clues to what’s happening. As they tackle this simple text that perfectly punctuates the drama, young listeners and emerging readers will recognize the complex feelings of both characters—and will be happy to see things come to a satisfying resolution. When the littler one picks up one last toy, the older child’s claim of “Mine!” is countered with an emphatic, repeated, “I WANT IT.” The words escalate in size, and the surprise on the older child’s face signals a win for the little one: “Okay.” “Let’s play!” The unadorned background keeps the focus on the action and emotion—and the words. Both children are light-skinned.

Salutary for big kids and encouraging for little ones.