Hello, friends! Our book today is If Animals Said I Love You, written by Ann Whitford Paul and illustrated by David Walker, a sweet board book that imagines the various ways animals express their love.

The third book in their If Animals series, the author-illustrator duo introduces us to a collection of animal families and friends who each have unique ways of showing their love. For instance, the lion cubs love to wrestle with their cousins, the alligator likes to splash his brother with his tail, and a gorilla mommy and her baby – the sole repeating pair of creatures, who provide a framework for the book – pound their chest, give sweet smooches, and snuggle in for bed at the end of the day.

Simple and sweet. The playful rhymes and soft-focus, cuddly animal characters make this a wonderful book to share with even the tiniest of bookworms, as does the brief yet satisfying length. Most of the animals are native to the African continent, with the whale and the alligator being the only exceptions, and are a nice mix of familiar critters, like cheetahs and boas, and more adventurous ones such as secretary birds and impalas. The family relationships mentioned are diverse (cousins, siblings, parents, grandparents, etc.), or wisely left undefined. JJ liked this one, and so did I – it’s a great story to share with a reader who is just starting out. Baby Bookworm approved!

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