I was a very short child. When lining up by height for class pictures in school, I knew to move to the back of the line. I was always on the front row next to the second or third shortest kid in the class. And my head just reached their shoulder. Adults tried to comfort me by saying, "Don't worry, you'll grow." I believed them. I thought that when I grew up I wouldn't be short. They failed to mention that all the other kids would grow too and an extremely short child usually just grows up to be an extremely short adult. I only ever wanted to be five feet tall--and I didn't even quite make that.
Freckleface Strawberry is by a beautiful woman you may have heard of before--Julianne Moore. It's the story of a little red headed girl who doesn't like her freckles. So she tries to get rid of them or hide them. Spoiler alert: when she grows up she learns to accept herself as she is.
I love this book both for me and my daughters. Everyone, especially girls and women it seems, have things they don't like about themselves that they can't change. There's humor in the story, but also an important lesson. And by the way, I'm okay with my height now. Until I just barely can't reach something on a shelf. . .
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Freckleface Strawberry
By Julianne Moore
Illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's
Year: 2007
Themes: self-esteem, individuality
Ages: Picture Books, Young Children
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