Little Critter Can Do Some Pretty Big Things

In Mercer Mayer's When I Get Bigger, Little Critter daydreams about all the things he'll be able to do when he's not quite so little. All By Myself is an opportunity for him to show us everything that he can already do, and the list - which is not exhaustive - is pretty impressive.

Little Critter, who in this book sports a green and white-striped shirt and a pair of blue overalls (with one strap apparently missing; it isn't trailing behind him, but it seems like there ought to be another one), wants to make the most of his newly developed abilities. He dresses himself from top to bottom. The shoes are a little tricky, but then tying one's own shoes tends to be the last step in the dressing process that children master.

Throughout the rest of the day, he demonstrates a variety of skills, some more finely tuned than others. In all, there are 19 "I can..." statements, some of which encompass two tasks linked by an "and" or an "or". Some of these abilities are very simple, like playing with a toy truck and rolling around on the ground. Some, like feeding his messy little sister and brushing his teeth without getting toothpaste all over everything, are more complicated. While many of Little Critters activities involve amusing himself, several are geared toward the happiness of his sister, which is a nice touch. She's still just a baby, but her big brother wants to take good care of her. His parents must be proud.

As in many Little Critter books, he has a mouse to keep him company. I'm not entirely clear on whether this is a real mouse or an imaginary friend; he sure is animated for a furry little fellow. While Little Critter is feeding his sister, the mouse pulls out an umbrella. He wears a policeman's outfit and pulls out a STOP sign when Little Critter is vrooming his toy truck around. He takes a ride in the toy sailboat Little Critter propels with his breath, he helps him draw a picture with crayons, he curls up to sleep in one of his shoes. Real or imaginary, this mouse is a wonderful friend to have.

And so is Little Critter. All By Myself is a story about taking responsibility for yourself and others. Mayer's irresistible pictures are full of color and vitality, and the series of easy-to-read statements are perfect for those just adding reading to their own list of newly acquired activities.