Guess How Much I Love You
by Sam McBratney
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Book Reviews of Guess How Much I Love You
Book Review: Great book! Sweet, loving, and beautifully illustrated
Summary: 5 Stars
I think this is a lovely book, with a simple, sweet story line, pretty pictures, and, best of all, a real way to connect with your child. Some of the reviewers seemed offended because they felt that the 'game' the father and son are playing in the book (seeing which one can express his love for the other best) is competive and somehow wrong. Everyone is entitled to opinion. Personally, I remember my little brother playing this game with my mother, and he loved it. It was a confirmation that Mother loved him, not a challenge from him or a sign of aggressive behavior. As children, we love to be told we are loved, and, what's more, we love to express affection, which is what this book is about.
That being said, I'm not going to say this will be your or your child's favorite book. For example, my younger brother loved this book, but my little sister never showed interest. My daughter is currently too young to understand it (she's not yet four months old), so I don't know about her yet...but I do know that I think the reviewers who were negetive about it were interpreting it incorrectly or simply forgot that every child is unique. Every child, as every parent, is different, and different books appeal to different people. But I do believe you will enjoy it, at the very least, and that your little one will probably too...go ahead an buy it! I think you'll be glad you did!
Book Review: Good book, character names a bit of a struggle
Summary: 4 Stars
This is the second book now that I thought was sweet and then I read the 1-star reviews to discover the appalling and corrupted adult interpretation placed on it - that it is a book about competition and that the little nutbrown hare can never 'out love' the big nutbrown hare. A small child doesn't see this as a competition of who loves more, at least not in the way an adult would. A child tries to express his or her love, and any 'trump' or 'one up' by the parent that other reviewers interpret is not felt that way by a child hearing this story but is felt as a solid affirmation of the undying love of a parent. Take the alternative outcome into consideration for a second. A small child, an attached child, always has faith that his parents love him above and beyond anything in this world, that he is the center of their world (a natural state of narcissim) but all of a sudden that child contemplates for a second that he loves his parents more than his parents love him? Let's continue to let our children feel 'out loved' if that is what the negative reviewers would call it! I can't imagine there is anything negative about that! I only give the story 4 stars by the fact that the long drawn out character names can be somewhat of a struggle to repeat over and over after a long day :)Book Review: 6 stars for Illustrator Anita Jeram
Summary: 5 Stars
When read to a baby, this story is admittedly more for the parent's benefit, and it is hugely endearing. Never fear, it is also a great book to read with older toddlers, since at that age (4/5), children are starting to exaggerate and tell tall tales. In either case, sharing love and spending time together is always a good thing. The father-son motif is particularly nice as it is less often seen in children's literature.
Personally I do not see the negative angle (competitive love) but I will not fault other parents for deciding this is not the right one for them. Books can speak to people in different ways. I do not love everything from Dr. Seuss yet some would say (unfairly) that makes me crazy.
Anyway, we have both the First board book edition of 1996 (actually, two copies of that), as well as the hardcover (First U.S. edition, 1995). The hardcover is easy for everyone to see when reading together and really shows Big Nutbrown Hare to best effect. The board book is handy for on-the-go or for the kids to look at themselves, although it does lose a few great illustrations.
Book Review: Guess How Much I Love This Book? A Lot.
Summary: 5 Stars
Although it is not a big deal, I grew up in the Bronx and was severely beaten as a child. My parents cared little for me and would beat me blue if I did not finish my liverwurst. I told the doctors that I fell down the stairs. But it wasn't true. I was beaten.
I guess you could say it was fate that had me stumble upon this piece of literature. The love that the two characters share for each other is astronomical. (Not to give away the beautiful, touching ending, but they both profess that they love each other "to the moon... and back.") I have pasted the pictures of my parents' heads and pictures of my own head onto the heads of the characters in this book, and every night I fantasize about the childhood I might have had. My fiancee, Richard, loves me very much, but he is illiterate and from the Bronx so I have to read it to him.
Guess I shouldn't have eaten the liverwurst afterall, Dad. Love you.
Love,
your son.
Book Review: Boring illustrations, and unproductive storyline.
Summary: 2 Stars
The idea of the book is cute, but like others who have reviewed it here, I'm not a fan of the storyline: trying to out-love another person with no real point to the story.
Also, this was given to us when my son was about 12mths old, but at that age, I prefer illustrations where a "face" is easily discernible, and ideally, colorful. These pencil drawings are so pale and small, an *adult* can barely make out the hares' faces/expressions. As of right now, my son's 15 months old, this book still bores him. And even when he can follow the storyline, I'm not sure I want him to!!
Summary: This is a "filler" book on our shelf that rarely gets read. It's just not much good for kids who don't speak yet, NOR is is any good for their self-esteam if they can understand the message...haha.