Latest book for little ones to be landing on our shelves to review is My Hand to Hold by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and illustrated by Alison Friend. (Isn't that a fabulous last name?)
This sweet rhyming book is one of those ones I would have read to my children when they were little and we were recovering from tantrums and time-outs. It's message is the universal one you try so hard to drill into your babies when they are small - I will love you no matter what.
The illustrations are perfectly in keeping with the text. The colours are soft and there is a nice sense of movement in them.
I can see that this might feel a bit too 'sweet' in illustration and writing for some readers but really I think for young children it's a message they can never hear too much. My 8 year old read it straight out of the envelope and said, "Oh Mum, this book is really lovely and sweet," and he's right. We should never tire of hearing we are always precious no matter what the difficulties we are facing and every child ideally would know that deep down in their bones they are loved - everyday and not based on their performance.
I probably wouldn't pick this up to read to the children I teach but I would buy it as a gift for new parents and young children.
Details - Hachette NZ, April 11th 2017, RRP $19.99 also available as an ebook.
love you more than rabbits holding hands xxx
