Estelle and the Self-Esteem Machine

Joan Buchanan is a children’s storyteller and author of Taking Care of
My Cold and What If I Were in Charge?

Jo Bannatyne-Cugnet takes on a laudable topic in Estelle and the
Self-Esteem Machine. The book promotes several aspects of building
self-esteem (e.g., acknowledging accomplishment and praising others),
but it does not deal with the roots of low self-esteem.

Estelle’s teacher, Ms. Guided, sends Estelle to the self-esteem
machine because she can’t tie her shoelaces. The machine breaks down
and Estelle saves the day by returning to “the olden days” way of
“fix[ing] self-esteem.”

The idea of a self-esteem machine breaking down has lots of potential,
but I found the development weak (a stereotypical “fat lady,” to
give an example, squashes a thin, male elevator attendant). And there
are unanswered questions. What did the self-esteem machine actually do,
and why did so many people need it? The book could also have been less
didactic, relying more on an engaging story and less on characters’
explanations. The book’s small print may also be a deterrent for young
readers.

Leslie Bell’s watercolors are imaginative and detailed. Estelle’s
face is strong and appealing.

With adult guidance, this book may serve as a useful pre-discussion
tool for further exploration of self-esteem. Recommended with
reservations.