No Sharing! Mine by Sue Heap

AMY LOVED HER BLANKIE VERY MUCH.

"MINE!"

Psychologists tell us that one of the important tasks of the first two years of our childhood is learning that you are a distinct person, separate from other people and things in the environment. And understanding ownership is one of the steps in developing that sense of a sense of self.

But... and it's a big but, playing with others requires a huge jump in understanding. Blankies and bears can be shared without forfeiting ownership and other kids can share their possessions with you, as long as you both understand the rules. It's an enormous intellectual leap, but a necessary one for all humans.

Amy is at that stage. She adores her things--her special blanket and toy bear, bird, and bunny. But when the twins Zack and Jack appear, they want to play with her precious things. And they grab!

"MINE!" NOT YOURS! MINE!

And when Baby Joe enters the scene, he squeezes her Bird so tight, he squeaks his squeaker!

"MINE!" CRIES AMY.

"BUT HE'S ALL ALONE WITHOUT A TOY! SAY ZACK AND JACK.

And little Amy has an epiphany. Baby Joe does look sad. If she loves her Bird, of course Baby Joe would want to hug it, too. Other people sometimes feel the same way she does. Amy gets it.

"YOURS AND MINE!" SHE SAYS.

Veteran illustrator Sue Heap's Mine! (Candlewick Press, 2014) takes her adorable little toddler through the understanding that sharing her things can make other people happy. It's a good lesson to learn (although for most kids it doesn't happen quite so fast!), and Heap's expressive characters portray well the several emotions involved in this process of learning to share. Pair this one with Anna Dewdney's top-selling Llama Llama Time to Share (read review here). Both of these books are great for preparing toddlers for young holiday visitors who may want to play with prize possessions, and Heap and Dewdney are among some of best teachers out there!