Hello, friends! Our book today is If I Was The Sunshine by Julie Fogliano and Loren Long, a uniquely beautiful meditation on how love connects us.

“If I was the sunshine, and you were the day / I’d call you hello, and you’d call me to stay”, begins the beguiling rhyming text, the first of many comparisons between elements of earth or nature and the relationship between the reader and narrator (a parent-child relationship seems most obvious, but is never strictly defined). As the illustrations explore scenes of nature both tiny and vast, the rhymes explore how these natural relationships reflect that of the readers’, perhaps suggesting that true bonds between those who love each other are as complex and intricate as the glory of the living world around us.

I’m going to be honest, this one left me a little confused, but in the very best way. Most picture books are not particularly looking to challenge their adult readers as well as their young ones, but Fogliano and Long did an amazing job of creating a book that is both immediately accessible yet layered with complexity. While many comparisons the text draws are of the expected warm and fuzzy variety, many explore the more bittersweet aspects of love, such as watching one’s child grow; lines like “If you were a bird, and I was a tree / You’d call me home, and I’d call you free” have both a heartwarming and haunting quality that stays with you. Wrapped in the gorgeous earthy illustrations of nature, it casts a fascinating spell that commands a second read. The length is perfect for any age, and JJ was as engrossed by the art as I was by the text. A unique book worthy of consideration, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)