Tag: parenthood

Three Squeezes (Jason Pratt)

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Hello, friends! We’re back after our move to share a beautiful tale with you. Our book today is Three Squeezes, written by Jason Pratt and illustrated by Chris Sheban, a touching ode to the love between a father and child.

As a baby naps on a blanket in the grass, his father gently takes his hand and gives it three soft squeezes. This becomes a ritual between dad and his boy as the baby grows into a toddler, then a child, then a teen, and eventually a man with a family of his own. Offering comfort through nightmares, broken bones, little league losses, and the death of his faithful dog, these three squeezes – in the form of a hand held or a close embrace – become a secret language between the two, until the dad has become elderly and immobile. And on the final page, as their relationship has come full circle, the meaning of the three squeezes is translated for the reader as well: “I love you.”

A treasure. This gorgeously written and illustrated tale is as warm and comforting as a parent’s loving hug. The gently flowing rhymes are simple and earnest, yet manage to weave in some beautiful symbolism about the cycle of life, from infancy to old age, and how the bonds we make with our loved ones fill it. The art is soft and delicate yet carries equal depth, such as the juxtaposition between a child’s first steps and their graduation walk, or the subtle foreshadowing of the frailty of one’s later years. The length is perfect, and JJ and I both loved it. A perfectly heartwarming tale of fatherly love that just may bring a tear to your eye, 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.)

World So Wide (Alison McGhee)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is World So Wide, written by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Kate Alizadeh, a tender ode to new families and the joy of welcoming a baby.

Somewhere in the world so wide, there is a person who is the youngest person alive – and once upon a time, it was you. Addressing the reader directly, the narration describes all the firsts that a child experiences – the first things they see, feel, hear, smell, etc. – as illustrations watch a father and mother introduce their own little one to the world around him. Perhaps the most incredible firsts are the feelings felt as a family grows and loves, and perhaps one day, that little person will grow to experience the joys of parenthood themselves.

Heartwarming. This sweet and gentle look at one extended family is soft and comforting in tone, both visually and in the text. Minimal, serene free-verse wraps around the reader like a warm blanket, making for a comforting read. The illustrations are colorful yet equally calm, switching between pleasant scenes of family outings, homey moments, and closeups of the baby and his parents bonding. I particularly liked the visuals of the ending, in which the baby has grown into a father himself; the new father is seemingly a single parent and sports an earring and vaguely alternative hairstyle. It’s a nice, subtle way of showing that families come in all shapes and sizes (his own parents are a mixed-race couple). The length was great, and JJ enjoyed the soothing story. A lovely look at the bond between parents and their babies, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

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

Lizard From The Park (Mark Pett)

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Hello, friends! Hope you don’t mind that we took last night off! We’re back today with a new review: Lizard From The Park by Mark Pett, a sweet story about friendship, family, and dinosaurs.

While taking a shortcut through the park one day, Leonard comes upon a most unusual egg. He takes the egg home, playing with it and caring for it, until the next morning when it begins to hatch. Busting through the shell, out pops a tiny lizard whom Leonard names, appropriately, Buster. Leonard and Buster are inseparable, and Leonard takes his new little one to all his favorite places in the city. But as the two grow closer together, Buster is growing as well – he soon outgrows the other people, Leonard’s room, even the roof of the apartment building. Leonard needs to find a solution for his rapidly growing friend, even if it means having to say goodbye… 

This was a very sweet and playful story, with an honest yet hopeful ending that felt just right. Much like Love Is by Diane Adams, Leonard comes to terms with the fact that Buster needs to go out into the world on his own, making this a wonderful metaphor for parenthood as well as a sweet tale about friendship. The illustrations are perfect; sometimes wry, sometimes sentimental, and with a wonderful visual story that dovetails to the main theme nicely. The length is great, and JJ loved it. Definitely Baby Bookworm approved!

I Wish You More (Amy Krouse Rosenthal)

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Hello, friends. Our book today is I Wish You More, written by the late, great Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, a heartfelt meditation on the wishes parents hold for their babies.

I wish you more hugs than ughs. More ups than downs. More umbrella than rain. More stories than stars. Simple, earnest sentiments make up the text, with a loved one wishing the reader friendship, joys, and courage as they grow. The narrator wishes these things with all their heart, because their child is everything that they could wish for, and more.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal sadly passed away last month, and this sweet, tender book was recommended to us as one of her best works, and we must agree. It’s sentimental without being schmaltzy; sincere yet still whimsical. The endearing and playful art captures the small wonders and simple pleasures of childhood in a way that young readers can connect to and older ones can feel nostalgic for. The length is perfect for baby bookworms, and JJ really enjoyed it, especially the illustrations. This is a all-around lovely book that celebrates the hope we have for our children, and the endless possibilities that their futures hold. We loved it, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

Love Is (Diane Adams)

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Hello, friends! For our last book of February, we picked Love Is, written by Diane Adams and illustrated by Claire Keane, a gorgeous and touching story about parenthood.

Told in delicate rhyme, the story follows a little girl who finds a lost duckling, taking her in and caring for her. Through midnight feedings, messy bathtimes, and playful and quiet moments both, the reader watches the bond between the girl and her pet grow, just as the duckling does. Soon, it is time for her beloved duckling to move on to a bigger pond. And while she misses her little yellow friend, she knows that their love will always remain, and even grow.

I completely teared up at this one. On the surface, the tale of little girl and her tiny duckling is the story of the work and care that goes into both friendship and beloved pet. Yet adult readers do not have to look far below the surface to find a moving allegory for a parent’s love: dealing with the joys, frustrations and heartbreaks of watching your tiny love grow and change and, eventually, move on to the bigger world. Keane’s illustrations are as charming as always, with her color palette for Love Is being fondly reminiscent of children’s books from the early mid-century, which gives the art a lovely, nostalgic touch. The rhythm of the text is great, and the length is perfect, and JJ loved the story and the bright yellow ducks. This one is all heart, and might even bring a sentimental tear to your eye. We absolutely loved it, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!