“My name is Susan and I am three and a half years old. I talk a lot now. I get upset when people won’t read me the same book over and over again, or when they try to leave out a part. My favorite question is ‘Why?’ I like to dress up and try on all kinds of different characters. I like to have stories told to me all the time. I like to have someone to play with me all the time, too. And I don’t like to have my playtime interrupted.”

“I am Jeffrey F. Fraser. The F stands for Frank, like my grandpa. I am friendly. I like talking. Yesterday I turned five years old. We can be friends and I will invite you to my birthday party. When I pick what I want to do, I pay attention really good. I have a little brother. He will do for a playmate if there’s nobody better. I think this tooth is getting loose. Do you want to hear me count? I can sing a song for you. Do you want to play with me? Okay, you be the bad guy and I’ll be the good guy….”

“I’m four years old. I’m Cyndi. I have sparkly shoes. Do you know what kind of underwear I have on? They have the days on them. See how sparkly my shoes are when I twirl? I’m too big to be taking naps. If you read me a story, I’ll be happier. I am really not tired. Do you want to see my shoes? I am going to marry Chad. Do you know Chad? He has a Batman cape. Can you read me a story now?”

“I’m Maria. My hair is long. I always wear dresses. I am four and three-quarters years old. Callie is my bestest friend. Sometimes Callie won’t play with me. She is four and a half. I can play with Gina. I like to eat lunch with Callie and Gina. I want to sit next to them—not across the table from them. I like it when the teachers teach me things.”

This is a book about us—the children. Each one of us is different. Not all three-year-olds or five-year-olds will be like us, but you will probably find a little bit of us in the children you know. This book will help you get to know us and find out what the world is like for us. It will give you lots of ideas about how to help us grow and how to encourage and teach us. We are alike and we are different. We want to be loved; this book is for the people who love us. uIb8J+cSvCedclAjlitbLySNZzhjsh9sUKeNLMNGhe3epQEd/ahnlPR0JlQC9P4Z