I Am Love
Common Sense says
- Susan Verde
- Picture Book
- 2020
Parents say
Kids say
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The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that I Am Love is part of the best-selling I Am… series from author Susan Verde and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds. The thoughtful main character is a self-aware messenger of love. When a friend is in a dark place, they ask, "What can I do to help let the light back in?" and model good listening, self-care, and forgiveness, among other acts of the heart. Featuring a diverse cast with a variety of genders, skin colors, and even pink, blue, and purple hair, kids will see something of themselves reflected in these pages. This book emphasizes that there's always something you can do to help a friend in need and that love helps us weather the storms of life.
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What's the story?
In I AM LOVE, a love-filled main character with blue, purple, and pink hair sees a friend "going through a storm." They take a mindful moment with their hand on their heart and eyes closed before offering the friend an umbrella for the rain. The clouds part and the friends sit down to talk. A hug and the present of a flower help the friend feel not so glum. Illustrated and text-supported examples follow this opening that show love as self-care, a mistake being forgiven and fixed, remembering, and connection with other people (and even a cute dog) in tiny gestures of goodwill. End pages include an author's note, heart-opening yoga poses, and a heart meditation.
Is it any good?
This sweet, heartfelt book may be heavy on yoga teacher platitudes (the author does teach yoga), but the positive messages are hard to find fault with and Peter H. Reynold's art is lovely as always. The "Love is…" refrain of the text adds a nice rhythm to this as a read aloud. I Am Love doesn't shy away from the reality that kids will face hard situations ("storms"), which makes room for young readers who've already faced such challenges. Many parents will appreciate the diverse group of relatable kid characters. Featuring a main character who isn't clearly a girl or a boy means that kids of all genders can see themselves on the page.
Though all the friends come together at the end, there isn't a unifying story being told here and some pages feel shoehorned in, like the gratitude and self-care spread and a page about remembering loved ones lost. Aside from that, kids are likely to enjoy this book for its relatable characters and bright, engaging art, while parents will love its gentle lessons on love.
Talk to your kids about ...
Families can talk about the ways love is shown in I Am Love. In what ways did you experience love today? How did you show love for yourself and others?
The book begins when the main character sees a friend "going through a storm." What do you think that means? What kinds of "storms" have you faced? Who can you go to for help when you feel overwhelmed, sad, or angry?
The main character says, "Love is taking care of me." How do you keep your mind and body safe and healthy?
Book details
- Author: Susan Verde
- Illustrator: Peter H. Reynolds
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Friendship, Great Boy Role Models, Great Girl Role Models
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
- Publication date: September 17, 2020
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 3 - 7
- Number of pages: 32
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: September 29, 2020
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