I Am Love: A Book of Compassion

by Susan Verde, Peter H. Reynolds (Illustrator)

Overview

Explores many aspects of love that can help one weather any storm, including that love is comfort, effort, connection, and taking care of oneself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419742378
Publisher:	Abrams Appleseed
Publication date:	09/07/2021
Series:	I Am Books
Pages:	22
Sales rank:	372,777
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 7.00(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	3 Months to 3 Years

About the Author

Susan Verde is the author of the instant #1 New York Times bestseller I Am Human. Her books include The Museum, You and Me, I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Love, My Kicks, and Rock ‘n’ Roll Soul. A certified yoga and wellness instructor, she lives in East Hampton, New York, with her family.

Peter H. Reynolds is the renowned illustrator behind the bestselling Judy Moody and Stink series, as well as many other award-winning picture books, including The Dot and Ish. He lives in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Interviews

East Hampton, New York

Editorial Reviews

"The illustrations are clean and colorful against a contrasting background. . . A beautiful tool for teaching love, empathy, and self-care."—School Library Journal

"Emphasizing Verde's common themes of mindfulness and emotional presence, the main character demonstrates expressions of love ranging from keeping their own "mind and body safe and healthy" to careful listening to others. . . Verde provides extensive backmatter, including yoga poses and a heart meditation. These addenda enrich the narrative and provide useful context for the relationship skills outlined in the text. Practical and empowering for young ones learning how to emotionally attend to themselves and others." —Kirkus Review

From the Publisher

"The illustrations are clean and colorful against a contrasting background. . . A beautiful tool for teaching love, empathy, and self-care."

SLJ Review

08/30/2019

K-Gr 3-A young girl knows that the best way to help the world is through kindness, empathy, and mindfulness. Loving others can be expressed in many ways—by being a good listener, lending a helping hand, offering comfort, and being gentle. Loving oneself is also important and can be expressed through showing gratitude and taking care of one's mind and body. When life's storms blow in, the child will know exactly what to do because her heart will lead the way. Award-winning team Verde and Reynolds have created a fourth "I Am" picture book, following I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, and I Am Human. This title illustrates easy and practical ways that children can be a good friend and also care for themselves with love. The story is told in a series of actionable "I can" statements and "love is" statements on each page. For example, "I can speak softly and choose my words and actions carefully. Love is gentle." The illustrations are clean and colorful against a contrasting background. Emotion is conveyed through the use of color, facial expressions, and body language. A useful appendix includes an author's note about using yoga and mindfulness to help children cope with their own emotions. Yoga poses and a heart meditation exercise are provided. VERDICT A beautiful tool for teaching love, empathy, and self-care.-Amy Shepherd, St. Anne's Episcopal School, Middleton, DE

School Library Journal

2019-11-01
In the latest I Am… series installment by yoga teacher Verde and illustrator Reynolds, a child describes how to share love with those struggling with hard emotions.

A thin, light-brown-skinned kid with blue and pink hair spots another child "going through a storm / of hurt and unfairness, of anger and sadness"—how should they respond? With hands on their heart, the candy-haired protagonist "find[s] the answer: I have compassion… / I am love." The gentle narrative follows a simple formula in which different ways of attending to others are named along with a simple statement of what love can be: "Love is comfort"; "Love is effort"; "Love is tiny gestures." Emphasizing Verde's common themes of mindfulness and emotional presence, the main character demonstrates expressions of love ranging from keeping their own "mind and body safe and healthy" to careful listening to others. Supporting characters in this jewel-toned meditation include a white kid with long blond hair, a black child with a curly purple afropuff, and a tan-skinned youth with short black hair and a colorful taqiyah. To elaborate on the benefits of "opening and expanding" the heart (both literally and emotionally), Verde provides extensive backmatter, including yoga poses and a heart meditation. These addenda enrich the narrative and provide useful context for the relationship skills outlined in the text.

Practical and empowering for young ones learning how to emotionally attend to themselves and others. (Picture book. 5-11)

Kirkus Reviews