November 1, 2023
"We got love like so." A Black-presenting grandparent and grandchild have endless love for one another. Forman punctuates each sentence with the refrain "like so": "I kiss you like so / you kiss me like so // I hug you like so // you hug me like so." The text has a rhythmic cadence that readers will enjoy; they'll eagerly anticipate the refrain and will be chiming in by book's end. Figueroa's art subtly conveys the passing of time as we see the pair through all four seasons and during both day and night. In one scene, they share a good-night embrace while the child's parents look on smiling; in another, the pair prepares pancakes in the kitchen. The two spend time in nature, too, holding hands while watching a butterfly alight on a sunflower and walking along the beach in the moonlight. Through it all, their love is unwavering, reflected in their hugs, kisses, and declarations. Figueroa employs a gorgeous gradient of colors. The illustrations have a watercolorlike feel, with an ephemeral mist that swirls across the page. One spread depicts the night sky filled with stars and planets, with the shape of a heart superimposed--an especially tender page. Soothing and affirming, this is an ideal offering for a loving adult to share with a little one. Perfect for a cuddly story hour or a cozy bedtime read. (Picture book. 2-5)
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November 6, 2023
“We got love,” rejoice the child and caregiver at the center of this rhapsodic work, which takes on a sweeping dimension through Forman’s poetic descriptions of a natural world that’s built on affection. Just as the Black-presenting duo exult in their devotion to each other (“I hug you like so// You hug me like so”), they find the moon, the sun, the days, the trees, and so on also “got love like so,” per a rhythmic refrain. Light infuses Figueroa’s smudgy landscapes, which abound with botanicals and butterflies, and this luminosity extends into concluding nighttime winter scenes of the figures building a snowman beneath a velvety sky dotted with pricks of snow and stars (“night sky got love like so/ star glow got love like so”). Just like the protagonists’ gentle opening embrace, text and art communicate a tender and expansive loving-kindness. Ages 1–4.
November 1, 2023
PreS-K-A simple read-aloud about a child and grandmother's time together through the progression of a year. Shifts of color in the vibrant illustrations designate the changing seasons as a grandmother and granddaughter share the simple expressions of love in everyday life: baking in the kitchen, enjoying a hike, walking along the beach, picking berries, and building a snowman. As with all of Forman's work, essential truths and acts of love are hidden in plain sight, and in Figueroa's purehearted scenes, rendering intimate details of family life, quality time, and authentic goodness. Simple, vernacular language perfectly meshes with a gorgeous use of color in this beautiful picture book. VERDICT A worthwhile addition to any collection for young readers.-Jennifer LaBurre
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