Your son breaks your favorite China vase. The next day, he drops porridge on the newly polished floor. The day after that, he scribbles on the living room wall with a permanent marker. You scream, shout and shriek. But at the end of the day, you still give him a goodnight kiss, hug, and read to him a bedtime story.
In conjunction with the month of Valentine’s Day, we have compiled our top 8 children’s books on unconditional love. The number 8 represents infinity, which suits perfectly the amount of love between a parent and child.
February isn’t just about chocolates and flowers. It’s a reminder to every child and parent about their relationship of binding love that can not be broken.
Call them cheesy, call them corny; these books will bring tears and sniffles to the mummies and daddies out there. Don’t say we didn’t warn you. Arm yourself with loads of hankies and tissues when reading these books to your precious little ones. Enjoy!
1. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
“I will become a fish in a trout stream and I will swim away from you.”
“If you become a fish in a trout stream,” said his mother, “I will become a fisherman and I will fish for you.”
If you think human mothers are overprotective, check out this mother rabbit! A little bunny tries to run away from his mother; creating a magical fun ‘hide and seek’ situation. Wherever the little bunny runs to, the mother finds him all the time, no matter what. This endearing book proves the lengths and depths a mother would go to protect and care for her offspring.
2. M is for Mom by Mary Ann McCabe Riehle
“Name begins with letter N.
“Mom” is my name for you.
Momma, Mum, and Mommy
Are other choices too.”
‘M is for Mom’ illustrates the little and everyday moments in life that forms the bond between mother and child. From ‘D is for Dress Up’ to ‘X is for lots of kisses’, the alphabet sets as a foundation for this book. I especially loved the poetry and rhythm incorporated with the beautiful paintings. One thing to look out for is the heartwarming quote on every page column.
3. Because You Are With Me by Kylie Dunstan
“I can watch the scary parts in all the movies…if your arm is around me.
I can sleep through any noise…because you are with me.”
The first thing that catches the eye about this book is the delicate illustrations. Made from articulately torn handmade Nepalese Lotka paper, the artwork is simply wonderful. ‘Because You Are With Me’ follows the life of a little girl and her daddy. She discovers that she is able to conquer her fears and achieve challenges with her daddy supporting her.
4. I love You, Little Monkey by Alan Durant & Katharine McEwen
“I may not like the naughty things you do sometimes, but I love you always, even when you’re naughty.”
Do you have your very own naughty little ‘monkey’ at home? Then this would be the perfect book for you to share with him or her. Little Monkey is always up to no good: throwing figs around and messing up the bed. He receives a scolding from Big Monkey, and ends up in tears. However, Big Monkey reassures him that he would never stop loving Little Monkey. A small and sweet reminder to your mischievous ‘monkeys’ that no matter what they do, your love for them is always there!
5. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
As long as I’m living
My baby you’ll be.”
One of the more popular books amongst families, this tear-jerking story follows the life of a mother and her newborn child. From the day he was born to a teenager, to a grown man, the mother’s everlasting and overwhelming love for him is evident when she sings this song to him. This action is passed onto the next generation, when he does the same thing to his newborn daughter. A touching and humorous story, it is accompanied by beautiful illustrations.
6. I Love you, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
“If you were a big, scary ape, I would comb your whole hairy self to make sure you didn’t have any tangles. And I would make your birthday cake out of bananas, and I would tell you, ‘I love you, my big scary ape’.”
Parents love their children no matter what animal they ‘transform’ into! This hilarious story has a boy turning into a crocodile, dinosaur and many other scary creatures. He asks his mother every single time if she would love him. Children with wild and imaginative minds will definitely enjoy this book. Try play-acting the characters to give your story-telling a fun and exciting twist!
7. Always by Ann Stott
“Do you love me when I eat all my peas? Do you love me when I don’t?”
Your little ones just seem to know exactly how get on your nerves. The little boy in this book definitely does! He jumps into puddles with his new sneakers, forgets to feed the hamster, and makes a big mess of his food. But every single time he asks his parent, “Do you still love me?” the answer is “Always”. This book reassures your child no matter how many times you yell and punish him, your love will never diminish.
8. Hug Time by Patrick McDonnell
“Traveling on, he hugged a gnu,
a panda,
a peacock,
a petite pudu.”
One of my favorites from the entire list, it’s a wonder that a book this small is filled with such a big message about love. Jules, a kitten travels literally everywhere around the world to give a hug to everyone and everything he meets! Your child learns that the simplest act, a hug, can be the best gift one can give. Accompanied by sweet rhyme and rhythm, this heartwarming story also has adorable miniature watercolour illustrations for your child to enjoy.
We would like to thank Borders bookstore for helping us choose all of these great books! Happy reading!