LITTLE HEARTS

Love and hearts are all around. Just stop and look.

Gentle rhymes and illustrations with the look of soft watercolors primarily in pastel colors are a perfect fit for this sensitive exploration of nature. Four animal friends—a fox, a bear, a rabbit, and a wild piglet—visit the woods, the shore, the meadow, and a farmer’s field to find a world “full of little hearts. / Each one a sign of love.” The book’s endpapers contain maps to help readers trace the friends’ journey, and a dotted line on the back endpaper map charts the quartet’s path. Hearts abound in this tale—strawberries, seashells, and ladybugs all resemble the shape—as do sensory references (the “smell of roses in the air,” “Puffy clouds go drifting by, / Oh what a dreamy sight!”). The friends also discover pairs of birds snuggled up to create a heart shape, a spider who spins a heart-shaped web, and butterflies flying off in a heart-shaped group. Alliteration and simple, elegant rhymes (“A sweet bouquet of butterflies. / We wave as they depart”) create a pleasing melody and fun read-aloud. Little ones will eagerly snuggle up to enjoy this with a cherished caregiver; it also makes a wonderful option for a small-group storytime to allow close inspection of the illustrations. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A joyful friendship tale begging to be read on Valentine’s Day or before a thoughtful nature walk or even a nap.