The Importance of Being 3

by Lindsay Ward

Overview

The perfect present for three-year-olds, this picture book is a celebration of all things three!
 
All the best things come in threes, not one, not two, but three, like the three-year-olds in this sweet picture book. As all parents know, three is a big year. Follow along as three friends learn new things in threes—from tricycles to triangles—take a dip in the pool, and play in the park with their friends!  Of course, it’s not all fun and games. There’s a tantrum and then hugs all around as the three kids head to bed.
 
This adorable picture book celebrating important life events is the perfect gift for third birthdays. Kids will love pointing out all the activities they can do now that they are three years old.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399539251
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	02/16/2016
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
File size:	72 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	1 - 3 Years

About the Author

Born and raised in California, Lindsay M. Ward received her BA from Syracuse University. She is now a cut-paper artist living and working in Lakewood, Ohio.

Editorial Reviews

10/26/2015
So long, terrible twos—it’s good to be three. There are friendships and newfound independence to explore; an increased confidence in one’s physical capabilities and powers of self-expression (“Let’s play pretend. Roar, I cry./ Lions, tigers, and bears. Oh my!”); and preschool, where all these talents get used on a daily basis. Additionally, notes Ward (Henry Finds His Word), being three means taking some tribal pride in all those other important threes out there, including the three bears, the three pigs, the primary colors, and the wheels of a tricycle. Although there are a couple of outbreaks of crankiness (“My mom begins to count to three./ Uh-oh! Time out. She points at me”), the mood is otherwise sunny. The book has some stretches that seem more like a catalogue of cuteness or a generic celebration of toddlerhood, as opposed to concrete developmental milestones associated with being three, but Ward’s guileless rhymes and trio of round-headed, rosy-cheeked cherubs are worthy of at least three cheers. Ages 1–3. Agent: Emily van Beek, Folio Literary Management. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"This is a book that reflects the thrills and drama of the age in a way both parents and their kids will relish." —School Library Journal

"Good for sharing one-on-one or in a group storytime celebrating that special age. Three cheers for being three!" —Booklist

From the Publisher

01/01/2016
PreS—An ethnically diverse trio of three-year-olds explore and celebrate the magical number in this winning picture book. There are three bears, three little pigs, three primary colors, and three sides to a triangle. Ward effectively uses the number to show other activities and skills that preschoolers are learning, like the ABCs, sharing, and playing outside. Tantrums and time-outs also figure prominently in the catalogue of experiences, but the breezy tone is overwhelmingly cheerful. Both adults and the preschoolers on their laps will delight in identifying the trios that are scattered in the illustrations like Easter eggs: three French hens, three blind mice, a picture of Orion's belt. Despite these details, the layout is uncluttered, with plenty of white space. Ward's palette of teal, peach, lime green, and brown is both cheerful and soothing. The round-featured preschoolers are affable and appealing, even when they are in a temper. VERDICT This is a book that reflects the thrills and drama of the age in a way both parents and their kids will relish.—Rachel Anne Mencke, St. Matthew's Parish School, Pacific Palisades, CA

School Library Journal

2015-10-14
"All the best things / come in three" burbles the twin-ponytailed Asian-American 3-year-old who narrates the rhyme. The little girl is joined by a redheaded white boy with rosy cheeks and an African-American girl with a curly topknot. From three bears and three pigs to three primary colors ("Red, yellow, and blue"—each word in its proper hue), the text progresses to more nuanced concepts. Examples of learning about sharing, time-outs, and the occasional mess at dinner are tucked in. There's some difficulty in accepting the language and activities as genuinely rising from 3-year-olds, though. The redheaded boy writes the first three letters of the alphabet neatly on a blackboard. The topknotted girl has a backpack with a Book of Haiku in it. They play hopscotch and hide-and-seek. The narrator's favorite treat is a Neapolitan ice cream cone, clearly delineated in the pictures but very large indeed for a 3-year-old, even if she knows the name of it. At the end, the two girls are shown reading to themselves before bed, surely rare for the age. (The redheaded boy is already asleep.) The pictures, made with cut paper, ink, and pencil, are full of delightful bits and pieces that are often a little surreal: three chickens whose word balloons are French, for example. Cute but unconvincing. (Picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews