Kirkus Reviews QR Code
LOVE IS TAYLOR SWIFT by Patty Michaels

LOVE IS TAYLOR SWIFT

by Patty Michaels ; illustrated by Ruth Barrows

Pub Date: Jan. 14th, 2025
ISBN: 9781665973519
Publisher: Simon Spotlight

What is being a Swiftie all about? Finding joy in the things you love!

For Taylor Swift and her fans, love comes from baking tasty desserts, snuggling with pets, enjoying fireworks with friends, and attending concerts. Vibrant illustrations that evoke bright pop music are scattered with references to Taylor’s life, such as a red sports jersey (a nod to her high-profile relationship with a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end) or a stack of friendship bracelets (which devotees know are commonly made by hand and traded at Swift’s concerts). Without this prior knowledge of Swift lore, this peppy picture book may feel like a somewhat superficial, though positive, list of ways to find happiness; some readers may wish the author had included messages about acceptance and self-love, commonly found in Swift’s lyrics. Still, the intended audience will welcome it as a joyful love letter to her fans. Pops of color splash across scenes of Taylor and a racially diverse set of friends doing their favorite things atop a stark white background. The star’s recognizable fashion style and facial features are spot-on, while most other featured characters feel more generic.

Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties.

(Picture book. 4-7)