The I Love You Book

We've collected just about all of Todd Parr's books for children. The stories are cute. The pages are thick enough to withstand little tear-friendly fingers. The colors are vivid and the stories are short enough for toddlers to maintain interest.

I have discovered another book to add to my love themed booklists, and this one deserves a spot near the top. The I LOVE YOU Book by Todd Parr belongs in every child's library. A child can never hear the phrase, "I Love You" often enough. From the beginning with the large cut out silver-lined heart on the cover of the book to the end with a special message from Todd, the book will help you remind those special children in your life just how much you love them -- each and every single thing about them. The book emphasizes unconditional love, love no matter what the situation. Yes, you love them even when they are stinky, when they dance and even when they don't sleep. It is time to let them know. I can't believe I have never read any of Parr's books with my kids before. Wow, he has written quite a few of them, illustrating all in the same easygoing, happy manner. The short phrases and bright, bold, child-like illustrations make his books ideal for small children on up. The I LOVE YOU Book is a quick but heartwarming read. My daughter soaks it all in every time I read it to her. We always end with a big hug and kiss. The book was listed on The New York Times best seller picture book list in February. Todd Parr, I love you for writing this book!

Reviewed by Cayden (age 4 ½) and Max (age 2 ½) Aures and Mom for Reader Views (3/09) "The I Love You Book" shows what it means to love someone unconditionally. For instance, "I love you when you share. I love you when you are shy. I love you when you hide my keys." Cayden: "I like the cover on this book. The silver cut-out heart is pretty cool! The pictures have lots of colors. I liked that the mommy and daddy said `I love you' to the kids no matter what they did, even when the baby had a stinky diaper!" Max: "I get up in the middle of night and go by mommy too. I liked the picture of when they went to the grocery store and there were bananas." Parent's comments: We really enjoyed the bright, bold illustrations in "The I Love You Book." The cover is also very eye-catching with the shiny silver heart. I liked the message about unconditional love that the book conveys. My children could relate to almost all of the scenarios shown. "The I Love You Book" by Todd Parr would make a sweet gift for any young child.

The first thing that I notice from this book are the vibrant colors and they just make me want to smile or even draw a picture. Each page of this book is filled with one more reason from parent to child (or whomever the reader is to child) that "I love you" when and why. It is a fabulous book and has an absolutely wonderful message that is so important. This book was my first Todd Parr experience, but will definitely not be my last. I cannot wait for more books and to go back and find some of his already published works out there. Definitely a keeper for my child's shelf. I cannot wait to be able to share this book with my baby again (outside of the womb). *grin*

I LOVE this book (no pun intended.) I think the promise of unconditional love is one of the most important things we can instill in our kids to make them grow up to be better kids and better adults. Unfortunately, it's a concept so many of us come to understand later in life, after the crucial child-development period has passed. This book makes kids feel loved via the kind of humor and silliness they can easily understand. It tells them they're loved "when they share...when they're shy...and even when they're stinky." I know this author's work well, and think this may be his best book yet, in helping kids jump start their self-confidence. --Marcello