I'm Three Years Old

This sequel to Jerri Wolfe's I'm Two Years Old! follows in the same fashion, escaping the usual expert-talks-to-parent format by using short alphabetical sections that offer a "child's-eye-view" of the issues parents lose sleep worrying about. Babysitters, bad habits, bathroom language, bedtime battles--each topic is addressed as if your 3-year-old could talk like a grown-up about a little person's feelings. Although some section titles are the same in both books (including, predictably, both "Tantrums" and "Whining"), careful attention has been paid to ensure their age-appropriateness. The best feature of this book is that each subject is dealt with in essentially two parts: why the 3-year-old acts, thinks and behaves in a certain way, and what you--the parent or adult--can do to make things easier, more fun, less scary. The stylistic conceit wears a little thin if you attempt to read the entire book straight through, but, as a minireference that forces you to empathize with your child, this title does offer a perspective that's a useful change from the norm. Under "Sexual Curiosity," for example, you find, "It's not so easy understanding all this body stuff. I have lots of questions. Why do you act so quiet and funny when I ask about being a boy?" Good question. Here and elsewhere, there are constant gentle reminders of how to avoid making the process of growing up even more bewildering than it already is. --Richard Farr