Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I know from experience that people frequently rank reviews they don't agree with as not useful, so bear with me here. This review is for those who share my point of view on a few key issues having to do with manners, ways of speaking, and the plot of children's books. If you read this review and have different values and disagree with my judgments, more power to you. I am sure all of our children will turn out just fine. This review is not directed at you. ========= My daughter received this book as a gift, because my mother knows that I'm really interested in introducing her to good role models. She thought I'd love it, but I cannot stand it. Here's why. 1. The storyline is exceedingly simple and the action extremely repetitive. Every day, the child wakes up and wants to be a new hero. The child does not face any problems, nor does she overcome any challenges. She just pretends to be someone cool. How is that interesting? 2. The praise for the heroes is really, truly over the top. Bravest? Best? Fastest? Who ever was, who ever lived? Really? While I deeply admire all of the women featured in this book, and don't come close to their level of heroism, I've read enough to know that this is simply not true. Amelia Earhart was a truly admirable, brave and skilled figure. But was she truly the most admirable, bravest, and most skilled pilot who ever lived? Who is to judge? Wouldn't it be better to highlight specific characteristics she had that made her successful? The dedication in the beginning is likewise exaggerated: to the bravest, thiseverest, thateverest, whateverest girl who ever was. I believe in praise where praise is due, certainly, but when the praise is blatantly false (by definition of the superlative, for every superlative in the dedication, only one girl can be that, so the other thousands of girls are getting false praise--that is, assuming that the smartest girl in the world has this book, which strikes me as an implausible assumption). How could a child help but be disappointed to learn that she really isn't first? Most people, including myself, aren't first at anything, ever, though I still take pride in a job well done. True, it's worth a shot, go for the gold, but shouldn't we be okay with praising people for doing a really great job without all the superlatives? "Best" means something. There's only one "best". Tell your daughter she's the best in the world when she's won Olympic gold or a Nobel Prize. Not when she got a book. 3. I don't know how it works in your family, but in my family, we don't shout "My name is NOT Isabella!" at one another. We ask politely. The manners in this book are awful. Of course, many books feature rude, thoughtless, and inconsiderate characters, and that's fine. But the little girl in this book is put up as a model of behavior. Hey, before you become the most amazing hero the world has ever seen, would you mind speaking to your mother in a polite voice? "Mom, today, I'd like to be called Helen Keller." And yes, my kids are encouraged to speak like that. If you're totally cool with your kids yelling "NO! I will NOT!" at you, the manners in this book will probably not bother you. 4. The worst part is, there is no elaboration in the main text of the stories of the women being held up as examples. There is a list afterwards, but we can get that anywhere on the Internet. What I suppose my mother was looking for was heroism integrated into the text as a kind of life lesson. Maybe I missed it, but being a hero isn't about being the best, or having a certain name. It's about showing character in a difficult situation. It's about taking the high road and treating others with respect. There is none of that in this book. I realize not all readers will agree with my opinion of this book. I just don't see what this has to do with strong women. It's all showboating and exaggeration. That is not greatness. If you know a little girl in need of strong heroes, I recommend getting a book about the woman herself, like the "Who Was...?" books, or even an anthology. Thanks for your patience. I do not mean to insult anyone who enjoyed the book. I simply think that this book is not a good way to teach heroism or the power of women, to a young child.