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I LOVE YOU MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW

A gentle testament to one of the few things that never changes—a parent’s love.

Husband-and-wife team and Broadway stars Odom and Robinson offer up an ode to the bond between parents and their growing children.

Starting with a Black couple—perhaps stand-ins for the authors—and their little ones, the book portrays racially diverse families joyously engaged in a variety of activities (breastfeeding, cuddling on the couch, blowing bubbles in the park) as their babies mature. Addressed from parent to child (“Do you remember / when we first met? / It was a moment / I won’t soon forget”), the tender verse exudes love and reassurance, while Hwang Ruiz’s bright digital illustrations depict everyday moments. Toasty yellows, browns, and tans, along with vibrant greens and purples, make each page glow with an effervescent warmth that feels like a cozy embrace. Many books are devoted to the bond between parents and babies, but this one celebrates the transition from baby to toddler and toddler to big kid. The rhyming text lends itself well to emerging readers as well as to a bedtime read for the very young. The book depicts a variety of families, including some with parents who appear to be same-sex as well as a parent who uses a wheelchair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A gentle testament to one of the few things that never changes—a parent’s love. (Picture book. 2-7)

Pub Date: March 28, 2023

ISBN: 9781250265647

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023

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CARPENTER'S HELPER

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.

A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.

Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

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PAPA'S COMING HOME

An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.

For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.

The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.

An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: May 20, 2025

ISBN: 9780593693988

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Philomel

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

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