This Is Me Now by Ms. Kimms is an endearing story about an unusual character, Diane the Robot, who fell awkwardly in play, and damaged her arm. She is faced with the questions we ask when struck by tragedy; why did this happen, and how we can return to the state we were in before this event? She is aware of being different and anticipates rejection. She feels hurt by her friend, Porkchop the cat, who did not know what happened or how to respond. Diane feels freakish, ostracized, and cast down. Her damaged arm thwarts each simple activity she attempts. She is overwhelmed by her perception of an uncertain future, all alone in her struggle. Seeking solace, she encounters a kind stranger in the form of a wise bird who relates to her trauma. The bird encourages Diane with her own story. “One awkward landing, Changed life in an instant. Try learning to fly, With a wing that is bent. I struggled alone. It was quite hard, indeed. You must keep trying, And one day you’ll succeed.”

In her book This Is Me Now, Ms. Kimms has woven a simple story of Diane the robot facing personal adversity, her emotions, and thoughts, into a useful prompt for discussion with children. Diane’s story is written in 4-line stanzas in the simple present tense, which when read aloud has a wonderfully rhythmic appeal as the short sentences flow easily. Imaginative clear color drawings illustrate this important chapter in her life. Ms. Kimms includes several advanced words like ‘perplexed’, ‘reprieve’, and ‘exasperated’ which will help your child’s language learning. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to all parents, for both the moral of the story and the exercise in the English language.

In This Is Me Now... by Ms. Kimms, Diane played roughly with some friends and hurt her arm. The problem is she no longer has an arm that looks nice or works the same. Diane questions, “This is me now?” She tries to do everyday things, but nothing seems to have a similar effect. Her life has been changed and not for the better. Life is difficult with a different arm. Even her friends act peculiar because she has changed. Diane doesn’t like it. She is angry, asking over and over again, “This is me now?” However, the good news is there is always someone out there who has been through similar experiences. Soon, Diane will be saying happily, “This is me now.”

This Is Me Now... by Ms. Kimms is a poignant tale about Diane the Robot. “Diane just can’t see that her friend is all heart. She starts to believe her life is torn apart. No one will see me for the things I achieve. They will only see there is something to grieve.” I know all of us at one point or another have felt this way. We want so badly to be like everyone else—to be smart, funny, and good-looking. But the truth is, we all are a tad weird or uneven in some way, whether it be physical or mental. Sometimes people try to act out cruelly, and our egos and hearts are bruised. Yet, all it takes is one person to lift us up and reveal that we aren’t so bad. A must-read for parents and caregivers to share with young readers.