I Am Wriggly
by Michael Rosen; illus. by Robert Starling
Preschool    Candlewick    32 pp.
8/24    9781536231298    $14.99

Some stories encourage quiet listening, but books can also call for moving around and being silly. This latest I Am installment (I Am Happy; I Am Hungry) centers on a wide-eyed pink bunny with a lot of pent-up energy to release. “I am wriggly. REALLY wriggly. Wriggly, wriggly, wriggly.” Spot art shows this energy building as the narrator begins to shimmy, tap its feet, and then start hopping. The activity ramps up from there. The creature wriggles its body and then starts adding toys, utensils, and furniture into the game. By the end, the combination of narrative action and increasingly colorful and lively mixed-media illustrations shows this bunny working itself into a frenzy of wriggles: “I can’t stop wriggling, I can’t stop giggling.” The situation finally peaks, and the rabbit suddenly recognizes that it can stop when it wants and take a little rest. An opening “Note to Grown-Ups” encourages using this story to initiate play and explore language with children as a means for self-expression. From start to finish, the snappy text and large, bold art effortlessly facilitate audience participation through prompts for physical activity and verbal engagement. A smart choice for a wriggly toddler storytime or for anytime when releasing some extra wriggles might lead to better self-awareness and an expanded way to appreciate books.

From the July/August 2024 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.