I Love You

I Love You by Xiao Mao, illustrated by Tang Yun (New Frontier Publishing) HB RRP $24.99

ISBN 9781925059762

Reviewed by Rebecca Newman

Little Badger learns how to say ‘I love you’ in five other languages — Chinese, Italian, French, German and Spanish. She spends the rest of the day practising her new words by calling out to everything she loves in her world (including everyday objects and people).

The cheerful illustrations have an earthy palette and a folk-art feel.

I Love You has a very simple storyline with a dose of positive energy. By the time Little Badger gets a good night kiss from her mother you’ll certainly know how to say ‘I love you’ in five more languages, too!

Preschoolers will love learning a few words in another language. This would make a good addition to a themed picture book collection for Harmony Day.

About the reviewer: Rebecca Newman is a children’s writer and poet. When she’s not writing or reviewing, she is kept busy as the managing editor at Alphabet Soup’s website. rebeccanewman.net.au

I Love You

I Love You written by Clemency Pearce and illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw (Nosy Crow)  HB RRP $12.99

ISBN 9780857638793

Reviewed by Daniela Andrews

‘When you feel so very small, when no one seems to care at all, what can make you ten feet tall? Three little words …’

This sweet story, told in verse, is based on feelings. Originally published as a hardcover book (Three Little Words), it is now presented in a board book format – perfect for the target age group of 2–4 years. It gives children examples of situations where they might feel ignored, upset, frustrated or shy. It reassures them that in any situation, their parents will be there to comfort them and offer those three little words to make them feel better: ‘I love you’. 

There is a lovely, gentle question/answer pattern to the story that makes it great to read aloud. Children will enjoy chiming in with the phrase ‘I love you’ upon each turn of the page. The author cleverly describes how the phrase can be used in different situations by changing one adjective each time. If the child is feeling small, the answer lies in three ‘little’ words. If the child has lost a race, there are three ‘winning’ words that can help. Feeling left out? Perhaps three ‘sharing’ words will do the trick. If they’re feeling shy, three ‘friendly’ words are what they need.

The ending of the book suddenly changes the pattern of the story by describing five situations where others might not be feeling happy. It helps show children how to empathise with others by suggesting four special words to help them through … ‘I love you too!’ 

The illustrations are colourful and expressive, warm and affectionate. Animals are shown in, first, a negative situation and then a positive one. Beardshaw has used a combination of coloured pencils, watercolours, and overlaid stencils to great effect.

Toddlers and preschoolers will no doubt be enticed by the simple language, repetition, lively pictures … and those seven cutout love hearts on the front cover that they can stick their fingers through!

Dear Mum, I Love You

Dear Mum, I Love You by Ed Allen, Illustrated by Simon Williams (Scholastic Australia)

HB RRP $16.99

ISBN 978-1-74362-632-0

Reviewed by Jenny Heslop

There is only one thing cuter than baby animals – that’s baby animals writing letters of thanks and love to their mothers. And along with fabulous illustrations, this sweet book out just in time for Mother's Day is filled with both.

Each page features a different animal with its own special letter of appreciation to Mum. Baby Elephant loves the way his mum splashes him in the bath, Baby Cheetah wants to be a champion runner just like his mum and Baby Koala loves the cuddly snoozes he and his mum take together.  The thanks each child expresses are specific to their situations, yet they could also apply to anyone who reads this book and children will recognise and understand these qualities within themselves and their mothers.

Children will also enjoy ‘finding’ the letters. Some are on the page but many are beneath flaps or inside envelopes.

The illustrations are colourful, fun and full of cheeky humour. Williams captures the playfulness of the mother/child relationships which helps this picture book avoid becoming overly sweet. There are adventurous ducks, a wonderful  rabbit burrow fill of baby bunnies with separate personalities and an echidna family with a great twist on mum finding baby's soft toy (it's stuck on the spikes of Dad's bottom - Mum's eye rolling is fabulous).

Dear Mum, I Love You is a great book for parents, grandparents and older siblings to share with young children. It will generate conversations about the feelings expressed within the book and children can also create their own Dear Mum letter on the blank one, helpfully provided in an envelope on the last page.