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This one is about a young boy bonding with his stepfather over the idea that everyone, no matter how strong and brave he looks, has something he fears.
Short but very warm and sweet, and with lovely illustrations. ( )

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/143468114 - Amalia said it best.

Such a refreshingly original story, combining the big message of a blended family with slice-of-life details. The artwork is lovely, but details are difficult to see, which frustrated me until I realized that's a good thing because of the shadowed nude.

And for people who don't know what the two pears in the bottle are about, um, think about how the twins grew inside the mom.

Being a good stepfather is difficult. Jake is trying, and the joy the two 'men of the family' experience when they realize they can actually have a relationship brought tears of joy to my eyes. ( )

Summary: "Like Jake and Me" tells the story of Alex and his stepfather, Jake. Alex and Jake seem to not have much in common, however a spider lands on Jake and the two bond over trying to find the spider before it bites Jake.

Review: In my opinion, the central message of this story was that no matter how many differences Alex and his stepfather, Jake had between them, they can bond in some way. Throughout the story, Alex kept asking if Jake needed help with cutting wood and holding the ax but he didn't think he was old enough. Also, when Alex's mother encouraged him to show Jake his ballet moves, he declined because he felt like Jake wasn't the ballet type. However, through all these differences they bonded through Alex showing his bravery by helping Jake find the spider. Overall, this story was a great story that showcased a relationship between a stepfather and son. ( )

-Newbery Medal Award
-1st-2nd
-A young boy and his stepfather build a relationship by working together and doing certain chores.
-This book is a good way of teaching kids how to build a relationship with their family and teaching them how to help others out. I would ask children to make a list of how they would build a relationship with their parents/guardians. I also would ask them to draw a picture of who they would help out in their own family.