The Okay Book

In the "Okay Book," Todd Parr uses simple drawings with vibrant, primary colors to illustrate his supportive and educational messages for kids. The messages fall into 4 categories. We have the pro-self-esteem messages: "It's okay to be short," "it's okay to have freckles," "it's okay to wear glasses," "it's okay to wear what you like," "it's okay to have no hair," "it's okay to be skinny," "it's okay to be big." Second, we have emotional/behavioral themes: "it's okay to be scared," "it's okay to share," "it's okay to try new things," and, in a paraphrase of the great Rosie Grier, "it's okay to cry." Third, we also have the tolerance/broadmindedness messages: "it's okay to come from a different place" (illustrated with a martian in a UFO hovering outside Saturn), "it's okay to live in a small house," and "it's okay to be a different color." Finally, there is a fourth category of silly, cutesy messages which are sprinkled in to enhance the kid-friendliness and keep it from being too heavy-handed: "it's okay to wear two different socks," "it's okay to eat all the frosting off your birthday cake," "it's okay to hang out in the rain," "it's okay to sing out loud," and "it's okay to put a fish in your hair." That last one troubles me. Every time I see it, I have a visceral reaction to that. In my mind, it is actually not okay to put fish in your hair. However, take that with a grain of salt. I have been criticized for missing to point of kids books in my reviews when I make comments like that. In fact, in response to my review of "Chimp and Zee," where I called for primatological correctness (Chimps are not monkeys and they don't have tails!), Mr. Anholt emailed me and said, in part, "I defend the importance of creative invention and I am rarely sloppy - I hope you are not being dogmatic or literal-minded in your judgement. (sic)" I should also note that the overall tone of Mr. Anholt's letter was very congenial and charming, and I do recommend his books. The "Okay Book" is a very nice book, particularly for preschoolers. It delivers important messages of tolerance and acceptance but strikes enough of a balance between goofiness and preachiness to not feel like a lesson. It concludes well with a nice sendoff, "it's okay to dream big."

I would echo the reviews that praise this book and also add that it can be a lighthearted surprise for grownups to look through too. I am a therapist - I was shopping for books, this one caught my eye, and I put it in my waiting room amongst the magazines & other books there. I can't tell you how many people I see looking at this 'okay book' when I come out to collect them for their appointments! (Then they put it down with a sheepish smile when they see that someone saw them reading it...) :-) It seems to be a whimsical and refreshing reminder for all of us in an occasionally conformity-driven society that we're good like we are. If you get it for your kid(s), enjoy it with them.

This is a wonderful little book! My first graders love to read this book over and over. They love the bright pictures and simple drawings. The children begged to write their own okay books which we did! This is another "Good Night Moon" but for the beginning reader set. I've now gone through my fifth classroom copy!

Yeah, that was corny, but it was too obvious. Anyway, I came across this book in one of those educational toy stores. What grabbed me was the vibrant colors and the simple, yet important values it communicates. There are two basic messages. The first is not to be biased or prejudiced against others because of superficial things that don't reflect who they are as people (like how big their house is or how they dress). The second message is that you should have the courage to be who you want to be and to express that. My son has been captivated by this book since he was only a few months old and I am looking forward to the day when he will be able to take away the important messages from it. It's comforting to have this book as a tool so that I can help my son grow up to be confident, respectful and happy. As do most parents, we have a few dozen books now. None is a substitute for "Okay." I've evaluated Todd Parr's other books online, but was less impressed and haven't bought any yet. But this one is a gem.

My son has been fascinated by this book since he was 6 months old. The bright illustrations grab his attention and I feel really good about the postitive messages it gives.