Mommy Loves You

February 20, 2017
In a companion to Grandma Loves You!, a mother rabbit and child frolic in a meadow as the mother shares assurances of unconditional love: “My heart’s full of love/ that blossoms and grows/ from your little nose/ to those teensy toes.” In keeping with the sentimental tone of James’s verse, Brown offers a series of brightly lit, bucolic scenes that show the rabbits sharing tender moments together (cuddling, sniffing pink spring flowers), as well as observing and interacting with other animals that include a mole, birds, and butterflies. Best for families with a high tolerance for the sugary sweet. Up to age 4.

April 1, 2017
Following titles dedicated to grandmas and grandpas, the author-illustrator duo tackles mothers.Rhyming verse explores a mother rabbit's love for her small bunny, some expressing that love, some her hopes and wishes for her child, some what her baby means to her, and still others how her child will grow: "You are my moonbean, / my star in the sky. / My hopes and my heart, / my cute honey pie. // On tippy-tiptoes, / you'll reach when you're small. / Hug-a-bug bunny, / I'll watch you grow tall." James' text is more than a bit treacly, but the illustrations help make up for it in their adorableness, which young readers and their mothers will eat up. Brown's full-bleed, double-page spreads are spring-bright in pastel colors, and her animal characters are gently anthropomorphized in their activities and facial expressions. A book plaque in the front and section for a picture and a personally penned letter in the back make this a good choice for gift-giving.In the end, this joins the crowded ranks of cute books in verse vying for new mothers' attention and doesn't really stand out. (Picture book. 2-4)

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