By Kate Adams from Collins Booksellers Thirroul
At a time when our emails and social media are bombarded with advertisements of love, it can be a relief to find something which reminds us (and the little ones) that love isn’t just about presents and flowers and chocolates. Families show love to one another in the smallest of ways every single day – a hug, a note in the lunchbox, the sharing of a story… Here are a few absolutely gorgeous books on the concept of love itself, which are perfect for families to enjoy together.
The promise of unconditional love can be hard to comprehend at any age. You are Loved (Liv Downing, illustrated by Mel Matthews) delivers the wonderfully warm and reassuring message to children that they are loved, no matter what – even when they misbehave or are alone. This oversized board-book is chock-full of heart. And I mean that figuratively AND literally: chunky cut-outs on each page gradually build into a beautiful heart, which is sure to delight young readers.
Nice & Slow (Sarah Ayoub, illustrated by Mimi Purnell) is the perfect antidote to hectic family schedules. After reading this, the kids will be begging you for a slow day like the one enjoyed in this gentle rhyming story; a day free from to-do lists and stress, in which you can luxuriate in building a pillow fort, cooking a special meal and rediscovering what you love about one another. This meditative story is a gentle reminder of what is most important.
Explore all the ways we can feel love and show our love to others with the exquisite This is Love (Zanni Louise, illustrated by Sasha Haddad). The charming little details in Haddad’s vibrant illustrations encourage readers to deeply engage with each page (you can craft a game of seek-and-find out of them) and the heart-warming text is really quite sublime: “Love can be quiet or loud as a drum. Sung in the streets or whispered in hum.”
I’d be remiss to leave Bluey: I Love My Family (Bluey and Bingo) off this list. Bluey and Bingo think Muffin’s family might be better than theirs because Muffin’s allowed ice-cream all the time and her family have a pool. Fortunately, their mum Chilli is on hand to explain that what really makes a family great is how much they love spending time with one another, leading Bluey and Bingo to reminisce on all the fun they have with their parents, cousins and grandparents. This little book is cheeky, fun and sweet – a winning combination, as we’ve come to expect from Bluey!
You can find these lovely books displayed in store or on our website, and we always have plenty of stories for children that explore big feelings, compassion and mindfulness on hand in our dedicated Kids Conversation-Starters section – perfect for families wanting to tackle some complex issues through the art of storytelling.
