Author: Charlotte Grossetete
Illustrator: Maureen Poignonec
Publisher: Magnificat.Ignatius
Age Range: 3 – 6 years
Originally published in French, this English version of You are Loved is a beautiful and gentle picture book that many families will cherish and enjoy for many years. There is something very special about holding a quality book in your hands. This publication has a soft padded cover which not only makes it more durable, but adds to the sense of this book being something to be treasured.
The story is basically a tale of love between two parents and their child. It begins with a mother and father anticipating the arrival of their first child, who is already beloved. From there, we witness the joy of parents who treasure every moment of their little boy’s life.
When you laugh, we laugh too.
We so love to see you happy!
When you cry, we’re sad and we comfort you.
When you’re afraid, night or day, we reassure you.
We’re always there to protect you.
From about page 14, the concept of God is introduced as the creator of all things. And then the story of Jesus is told in parallel with the the story of this growing boy. This is a truly clever way to help very young children to relate to and get to know Jesus.
When Jesus laughed,
His parents laughed with him.
When he cried,
His parents comforted him.
His parents loved him very much.
Finally the story highlights the importance of love, and teaches children that love is found within the family and with God. This is a particularly comforting and happy story that is designed to reassure children and nurture a beginning sense of the closeness of God and God’s love for all of us. It also emphasizes the value of a traditional family structure.
I like books for young children that are not too busy or visually overwhelming. The illustrations are simple with plenty of white space on the page so that children can focus on the main messages being conveyed. You might consider this book for someone in your own family, or perhaps a Catholic/Christian playgroup or kindergarten. The illustrations depict a family with a mother and a father, and the characters have white skin with red hair. I hope there is still room on the classroom bookshelf for books such as these, although I acknowledge the requirement for stories that reflect a diversity of cultural backgrounds and family. I would include this book for its simplicity, Christian viewpoint and quality publication.
You can purchase You are Loved from Veritatis HERE.