Review by New York Times Review
A crew of cherubic, messy-haired toddlers in fantastically stylish outfits bounces through this simple rhyming celebration of love in its many forms. On each page, the word "love" is paired with just one other ("me," "you," "smile," "hug") as we see Massini's characters at the beach and at the playground, with a dog and a cat, and reading, painting and playing instruments. A teddy's lost, then found, adding a dose of drama to a gorgeous and altogether satisfying little world. DID YOU KNOW THAT I LOVE YOU? Written and illustrated by Christa Pierce. 28 pp. Harper/HarperCollins. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 2 to 6) As mismatched pairs go, the digitally drawn blue-gray bird and rusty brown fox in this tribute to unconditional love are a winning one. At first, the tiny bird's declaration of ardor catches the fox unaware, but surprise gives way to the dreamy smiles of someone who knows he's adored but likes to hear it anyway. By the end, the bird's extravagant words morph into that eternal parental promise of devotion, "however big you get to be." The fox gets the crucial last words: "I love you, too." I LOVE MOM By Joanna Walsh. Illustrated by Judi Abbot. 32 pp. Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 2 to 6) These brother and sister tigers just know they have the best mother in the entire world, and they may well be right. Not only can she "make a paper plate into a plane," she helps them tidy up, bakes cakes and pushes the swing way high. Quite simply, "No other mother looks so fine." After carrying them home from the playground, one in each arm, she makes dinner, then laughs as they splash and spit water at her from their bath. What a woman! (Her rough black stripes are super-cute, too.) THERE'S THIS THING Written and illustrated by Connah Brecon. 27 pp. Philomel. $16.99. (Picture book; ages 3 to 8) Not everyone is comfortable in the realm of emotion. Take the adorably diffident girl with shaggy red hair who says, in a heart-shaped word bubble: "There's this thing I really like. I would like to like it even more." She can't utter that loaded word, and she looks for it in all the wrong places. Only when she gives up does a boy with a heart-shaped balloon arrive. It's a refreshing reminder that it can be hard to ask for what we want, and that even introverts need love above all. IN MY HEART A Book of Feelings By Jo Witek. Illustrated by Christine Roussey. 32 pp. Abrams Appleseed. $16.95. (Picture book; ages 3 to 8) "My heart is like a house, with all these feelings living inside," announces a sprightly little girl, rendered in skillful, nuanced line drawings. A giant heart-shaped cutout gets smaller on each page of this ingenious, attractive book, so that its multicolored layers appear to peel off, onionlike. The little girl explores a range of emotions - brave, mad, calm, hopeful, shy, sad - and invites a child to name her own feelings. What could have been heavy-handed is instead buoyant and delightful. ONLINE A slide show of this week's illustrated books at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [February 1, 2015]
Review by School Library Journal Review
Toddler-PreS-This rhyming poem is comprised of two-word phrases about everyone's favorite emotion: love. A cast of multiethnic, rosy-cheeked tots and their equally jovial pets are tasked with portraying the many ways to love. The children happily frolic across the pages with serene smiles. "Love quiet" is depicted by two children reading together with their pets, while across the page "Love loud" is enacted by children joyfully dancing with instruments and a dog howling along to the tune. Other parts of the poem are conveyed by visual narratives, as in the case of "Love lose/Love miss/Love smile/Love kiss," which plays out over four spreads as a little girl's toy is lost and found and her hero is rewarded. The cheerful, mixed-media illustrations beautifully convey the sentiments. VERDICT What's not to love about this charming selection?-Laura Hunter, Mount Laurel Library, NJ © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
A multicultural cast of toddlers joyfully explore different meanings and applications of love in their lives. Groups of rhyming two-word phrases ("Love quiet / Love loud / Love shy / Love proud") pair with heartfelt illustrations of happy children playing and embracing. There are no adults in the book, creating a toddler-centric world of playtime, animals, and treats. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
