Love

I bought this book to display for Valentine's Day in the month of February. When I saw that Loren Long was the illustrator, I didn't hesitate, and I wasn't disappointed. Matt de la Pena's warm story of the various ways to show love is endearing. This would be a great book for parents to be or new parents. The first page reads, "In the beginning there is light and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed, and the sound of their voices is love." Each page explains another way to show love. Wonderful.If you haven't read Loren Long's Otis The Tractor books, you must. They are all beautifully written and illustrated. Once you have read and purchased one, you will be hooked, and you will need to buy them all.

Beautiful book. May be a good conversation starter for older little kids that have questions

This is a beautiful book about love and where it can be found. Love can be found in the glowing eyes of new parents, in the music on the radio, and the fresh air. Love can be found spending time with those we love in the memories we make in the world around us. Laughter can be love. There is a lot of imagery in this book both in the words and the illustrations. Imagery of making memories together, laughing together, sharing and helping each other, all these things are mentioned. There is one picture that some reviewers haven't liked showing a young boy under a piano as his mother cries and his father stomps from the room. There's a turned over lamp and chair. Love is a beautiful thing, but loving humans can also be a painful, hurtful thing. Sometimes those we love 'flame out' as the book says. While the book is mostly positive, Long includes this picture demonstrating that love is wonderful, but sometimes also painful. Long's illustrations are gorgeous and beautifully complement de la Pena's words.

I have read this to my PreK and Kindergarten classes many times and never fails to get me choked up.This also makes a great baby shower gift!

I think this book is so beautiful in so many ways. It celebrates the way love shows up - I genuinely loved it so much. But there is a page that while I understand represents what some children are going through- it almost normalizes it ( it's not the right word - I'm just not sure how to express it). For older children who can follow up with questions, and dialogue and an actual conversation I can see how it would be nice. I opted not to gift it to the littles that I bought it for.

In a world that seems so hostile and the news we are all exposed to so grim, author Matt De La Peña has made it his mission to remind us where love resides and the many forms it takes. Readers of every age will find a common ground, for the story of Love begins at birth, but De La Peña, and illustrator Loren Long, don't stick to the high notes, but rather take us through the many ups and downs that life brings to us and how love, love is there for the long haul, love is always there, if we know where to look.Loren Long's illustrations, are scenes from the every day made extraordinary, by the acts of love portrayed; a child who is not shy when offering to share food with a a man who might be homeless, a police officer playing with kids and being soaked by the park's sprinklers on a hot summer day, family trying to shelter younger children from news on TV, a street performer pouring his heart out as he sings a melody. Long made sure that we see the everyday extraordinary where love makes its appearance.One of my favorite lines is: "A slice of burned toast that tastes like love", love is everywhere even in places we might not have bothered to look. So really look, because we all have been loved, are loved, so hard, by others, by the universe, by ourselves...and this book will help us remember. Keep this book close, for when you need it, De La Peña's words and Long's illustrations will remind us just how much we have been, and are, loved.

By the time I received my copy of LOVE by Matt de la Peña and Loren Long, I had already seen several reviews of the book. I knew it had been very well received. I still wasn’t prepared for how moving this new picture book is.In fact, the first time I read through with my own kids at bedtime, I got so choked up I couldn’t finish the last page. The second time we read it, my husband offered to be the reader to spare me (I still cried).This book strikes the perfect balance between being a love letter to our children, and being as honest as possible that life has its dark times. (If you haven’t read Matt de la Peña’s TIME article about writing about darkness for children, I recommend it). It’s a book about finding love and beauty all around you no matter who you are, what you look like, or where you live. It’s also a book about understanding that love ends and loved ones do wrong and that sometimes it’s hard to see the love in the world.LOVE is one of the most diverse books I’ve seen, showing racial, ethnic, gender, religious, and socioeconomic diversity. This is truly a book that can be embraced as a mirror and a window for so many families.Someday maybe I’ll be able to read it all the way through without crying. But I’m not there yet.

I borrowed this book from a local library two and a half years ago. Didn't get to read it immediately to my little one.About a week later we rode two hours from home, praying, and went to look at a big OLD doublewide by the lake. As we walked up the hill from the water that day, a train whistled. And somehow we just knew.... we were home.My husband backed out of the drive and we headed for home.My little one asked me to read her the story... and so I did.When I saw the page above in the picture, I broke down crying and showed it to my husband. He smiled. We knew.If only we'll pay attention to the little clues the Lord sends.... we'll know what path to take.I bought this book. Because it changed our lives. It wasn't just a story. It was an answer to our prayers.

Great book!

In would review the book if I could read it. Bought the Kindle version, which it keeps saying is not compatible with my Kindle device.I have no help from Amazon.

Highly recommend this lovely poetic book. The illustrations are diverse and perfect for my little black boy.

The child tor whom the book was purchased likes it very much.

Good quality