I'M NOT PERFECT. SO WHAT?

A young girl builds self-esteem in Dahnke’s debut children’s book.

One day, young Carol comes home from school in tears; she’s upset that she struck out during a softball game. Her confidence and self-esteem are low because she feels she’s the worst in her class, as she’s invariably chosen last for her classmates’ teams. Sensitive to her daughter’s plight, Carol’s mother gives her a hug and then reminds her that her value as a person is completely unrelated to her ability to hit a softball. Wisely, her mother advises Carol to instead focus on the things she can do well: ballet, piano, art; after all, she won first place in the county fair. As her mother’s words gradually sink in, Carol realizes that although she may not be the best softball batter in class, she’s still an important, valuable part of the team: She can catch, run fast and help keep score thanks to her math skills. While Carol goes through life, she frequently considers her mother’s words; they help her mature into a strong, successful woman with a child of her own. When her own son returns home one day in tears after forgetting his lines in a play, Carol recalls her mother’s words of wisdom. She uses them to remind her son of all his talents. Soon, forgetting a few lines isn’t such a big deal, and he can finally conclude, “I’m not perfect. So what?” Written in rhyming couplets, Dahnke’s story will be fun to read aloud to your child or together. The enjoyable verse is a great technique for maintaining the movement of the story and for helping young children follow along. Parents will appreciate the heartwarming nudge toward valuable self-esteem for children who may not fit in. Young readers will hopefully understand that they’re special, even though they can’t be good at everything.

A wonderful confidence-booster for kids at home and school.