never too little to love picture book

NEVER TOO LITTLE TO LOVE (PICTURE BOOK)

PICTURE BOOK

NEVER TOO LITTLE TO LOVE by Jeanne Willis, illustrated by Jan Fearnley

(Candlewick)

Tiny Too-Little has to really stretch if he wants a smooch from his

long-necked love interest, but where there's a will, there's a way! A

series of cut-paper pages display his attempts to pile different items

on top of each other, but even when that fails, love conquers all and

effectively makes the point of the title. A charming cumulative tale

mixes gentle watercolors with enough novelty to stabilize the

saccharine. Pre-school teachers, this title screams for a felt-board

interpretation of the great object pile-up (such as the one sported by

our model below on a Show-a-Tale apron from BookProps)! (3 and up)

Also of interest:

Sweet! Ten Ways to Use Books and Reading to say "I Love You" on

Valentine's Day

1. Read aloud a book into a casette player, or a computer

recordingdevice. Give the book and finished cassette/CD to a young

loved one. Great for working parents! Kids can also make recordings as

2. Pack a special Valentine's Day brown-bag lunch and include a love

letter to your child to read while s/he eats!

3. Make a Valentine for a favorite author or illustrator. Help your

child address an envelope to the publisher (usually listed on

thecopyright page of a book), and send it off.

4. Make pink fortune cookies by adding a few drops of red food

coloring. Write your own fortunes together and read them aloud as you

open the cookies. Recipe at www.planetesme.com/fortunecookie.html .

5. Share something personal and special by reading aloud, like a

childhood diary or PG-rated love letters you and your spouse

exchanged.

6. Have a family read-aloud with CUPID AND PSYCHE, as told by M.

Charlotte Craft and stunningly illustrated by K.Y. Craft. Need more

titles for your literary love-in? For a big bouquet of lovely books

that manages to avoid too much mush, check out Unlovable Love Stories.

7. Let your child tuck you in and read you a bedtime story.

8. Find your favorite childhood book and inscribe it to your child.

9. Pack a new book inside the bottom of a heart-shaped box of

chocolates.

10. Take your child on a date to the library.

Remember, ten thousand pieces of research support the Department of

Education's findings that read-aloud is the best thing you can do to

support lifelong literacy, that it contributes to background knowledge

for all subject areas, and that read-aloud should continue through the

grade levels. Love learning? Read-aloud is romantic!

On a personal note: You're invited to a publication party!

A children's literature shmoozapalooza for grown-ups is being hosted

by the lovelies at Writer's Workspace on the north side of Chicago

this Friday (2/16) at 6:30 p.m. in honor of my novel VIVE LA PARIS.

Why don't you come by?

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your