I Am Better Than You! By Robert Lopshire

I Am Better Than You!

By Robert Lopshire

1968 Harper & Row, New York

I Am Better Than You is one of my new favorites in preschool to beginning readers books. “An I Can Read” book it features two lizards, the arrogant Sam and his good-natured counterpart Pete. Sam believes that he is “the best lizard there is,” and promptly tells Pete his revelation. However, Pete is unable to grasp how Sam, a lizard remarkably similar to himself, could be the best lizard ever. A contest of sorts ensues with Sam going to great lengths to prove to Pete he is the better lizard. Much to Sam’s dismay Pete is able to easily do all of the same feats and task that Sam can do. As Pete completes each of the tasks that Sam puts forth, Sam becomes more determined to out best Pete. After, many tasks and then Sam spending the night trying to prove he can change his colors to match a newspaper cartoon page, a humbler Sam emerges.

I Am Better Than You is great fun for the adult reader. The illustrations of Sam and Peter, whilst simple are quite comical. The storyline too is one that most preschoolers and adults will need to hear over and over. That is that other lizards, are just as important as ourselves and no one of us is any better then another lizard.

“I am the best lizard there is!”