I LOVE YOU, COCKATOO!

To err is…bird.

With crayon scribbles on the wall and toys strewn about, little Cockatoo appears very energetic. When his mama says how much she loves him, he questions: “Even when I’m grumpy and tired?” “Even when you’re grumpy and tired,” Mama confirms. Papa and Aunt P also say how much they love him. But when Cockatoo dresses as a pirate and interrupts Mama’s bathtime and tracks mud through the house just when Aunt P is sitting down to have a delicious treat, their admonishments make Cockatoo feel less than loved. “Maybe Mama, Papa, and Aunt P didn’t love him ALL of the time after all?” Through comfort and snuggles, plus admitting their own mistakes (“Do you still love me even when I forget to put raisins in your porridge?” Aunt P asks), Cockatoo realizes their love will never end. Some adult readers may wish that it was made clear that one can love someone but not love their actions. Regardless, for young tots searching for reassurance, this family of cockatoos has overflowing affection. Illustrations featuring vibrant colors—dominated by pinks and yellows—portraying an adorably anthropomorphic avian family make the love palpable. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

By turns funny and deeply heartening.