I'll Never Let You Go

February 1, 2016

PreS-The creators of I Love You Night and Day (Bloomsbury, 2014) are back with another sweet book bearing a message of unconditional love and support. Soft and colorful mixed-media illustrations show various adult and child animal pairs engaged in assorted activities. As each of the young animals display a different emotion or behavior, the brief, rhyming text provides reassurance that they are supported through the highs as well as the lows. For example, one spread shows a puppy holding a crayon behind his back, while the wall beside him is covered with childlike drawings. The adult dog stands with hands on hips, looking slightly displeased, and the text reads, "When you are naughty, I see that too... But I know that really you know what to do." The warm and calm presence of the adult in each scene, even during these more challenging moments, is supported by the gentle and spare verses. The gender-neutral animal pairs could easily represent a number of close relationships, from parent and child to grandparent and grandchild to an older and younger sibling. VERDICT A perfect choice for one-on-one sharing and a comforting bedtime story.-Kimberly Tolson, Medfield Public Library, MA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2016
The theme of unconditional love, in both good and bad times, is offered in rhyme alongside pictures of loving pairs of animals. In the canon of "I love you so much" titles, the shelves are full of devotion to parenting. Prasadam-Halls offers another title that illustrates a wide range of emotions. Love, naughtiness, fear, excitement, sadness, and even questioning all take a turn through this rotation of parent watchfulness. The rhyming verse, with its repetitive cadence, is a bit lumpy, but it is bolstered by comforting full-spread artwork by Brown. Rendered in acrylic paint and colored pencil, each youngster-and-parent depiction exudes connection and protection. Rabbits gingerly cross a river on steppingstones, a joey bounces with abandon, and a baby owl sleeps while the parent stands guard. "When you are sad and troubled with fears, / I hold you close and dry all your tears." Whether the pairs are koalas or crocodiles, all the animals are androgynous, making the images work for single moms and dads. Though the book cycles through many moods, the feeling of constant presence is clear. The last lines, echoing the premise of the whole book, will be reassuring to most. "For when you are high and when you are low, / I'll be holding you tight... // ...and I'll never let go." Sweet though it is, though, there's nothing fresh about it. Not really high or low, this effort takes the middle road. (Picture book. 2-5)

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