Do you know Verde's and Reynolds's "I Am…" series? If not, you should! The whole series, aimed at children of all ages (but maybe best for ages 4+) is meant to help children understand the world around them, and how they can be a positive light in the world. Following I am Yoga, I am Peace,andI am Human, this fourth installment in the series,I am Love: A Book of Compassion, is my favorite. A perfect story for both Valentine's month as well as our family focus of empathy and compassion, read on to see why we love it so much, as well as how you can enter to win your own copy!

Verde opens I am Love with "When I see someone going through a storm… I ask myself, 'What can I do to help let the light back in?'" The rest of the book is an ode to compassion, empathy, tenderness, and love, reminding us all of what we can do when those dark clouds roll in, covering not only others but also ourselves. The first half of the book addresses the various ways we can show others love when they need it, providing children concrete ideas such as, "I can listen and not say a word" and "I can hug and hold…" Given our family focus this month on helping out children both SEE others and ACT on what they see, I love these ideas.

Verde then moves, however, to helping children understand ways that they can show love to themselves, too, such as giving thanks for what they have and keeping their bodies healthy. Each page ends with a simply, easy-to-remember mantra about love, which families or classrooms could use to make a poster or chart to reference any time members need reminders.

And, as always, Peter Reynolds has hit it out of the park with his illustrations! Giving audiences a diverse cast of characters, Reynolds has also left plenty of white space on each page. The combination of the two makes this very accessible to readers, as well as give us time and space to contemplate Verde's words and take them to heart.IMG_5816

Make sure that you spend time with the backmatter in I am Love! Reynolds's "Author's Note" provides parents with information about talking to children about love and affirmation, connection and compassion. She also include some heart-opening yoga poses, as well as a guide for a heart meditation.

Now, be sure to head over to my Instagram page for a chance to win a copy of this book for yourself!

A big thank you to Abrams Books for sharing I am Love: A Book of Compassion with our family in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions of this book are my own. Most links are Amazon Affiliate links. Thank you for considering making a purchase through my links!

If you liked this, check out:

  • Our Favorite Valentine's Day and Love Books
  • 50+ Books to Help Build Compassion and Empathy
  • My Heart by Corinna Luyken