Guess How Much I Love You

by Sam McBratney, Anita Jeram (Illustrator)

Overview

Welcome the family classic with an elegant, refreshed cover — the quintessential picture book, just waiting to be shared.

Sometimes, when you love someone very, very much, you want to find a way of describing how much you treasure them. But, as Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare discover, love is not an easy thing to measure! For two decades, Sam McBratney’s timelessly endearing story, beautifully rendered in Anita Jeram’s exquisite watercolors, has captured the deep and tender bond between parent and child. Guess How Much I Love You is one of the world’s best-loved picture books.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763674489
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	10/14/2014
Series:	Guess How Much I Love You
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	2,420
Product dimensions:	9.80(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Sam McBratney is the author of the best-selling Guess How Much I Love You. He is also the author of There, There and Just You and Me, illustrated by Ivan Bates. Sam McBratney lives in Northern Ireland.

Anita Jeram is the illustrator of the best-selling Guess How Much I Love You. She also illustrated several books by Amy Hest, including Little Chick and a series about Sam and Mrs. Bear, as well as Skip to the Loo, My Darling! by Sally Lloyd-Jones. Anita Jeram lives in Northern Ireland.

Editorial Reviews

Effused with tenderness, McBratney's wise, endearing, and droll story is enriched by the near-monochromatic backdrop of Jeram's pen-and-wash artwork, rendered earthy tones of moss, soft brown, and gray for a visually quieting effect just right for that last soothing tale before sleep.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

An endearing nursery game is beautifully revitalized in this comforting, sleepy-time picture book. . . . There's not a wrong note in this tender tale, which should become an endearing bedtime favorite — right up there with Goodnight Moon.
—Booklist (starred review)

Every parent will relate.
—USA Today

A well-written gem with sprightly illustrations.
—L.A. Parent

An extraordinary children's book that captures the unique dialogue between a parent and child.
—Child Magazine

The perfect bedtime story for sleepy little ones. Sam McBratney's soft, repetitive text is reminiscent of classic tales by Margaret Wise Brown (Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny). . . . Anita Jeram's watercolor renderings of this endearing pair add sweet humor to a finely crafted book.
—Christian Science Monitor

From the Publisher

This beloved story of Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare returns in this twentieth anniversary edition to capture another generation of children’s hearts. Little Nutbrown Hare physically shows the expanse of his love for his father by stretching his arms out wide. Big Nutbrown Hare, the father, who is physically larger, responds by showing the depth of his love for his son by stretching out his even longer arms. Not to be outdone, Little Nutbrown Hare shares that his love for his father is as high as he can reach; Big Nutbrown Hare replies likewise. These actions initiate a loving competition of just how much the father and son love each other as they attempt to top each other’s expression of love. Jeram’s watercolor illustrations capture the heartfelt relationship of the pair. This anniversary edition includes a brief note from McBratney and Jeram. Parents and caregivers will enjoy reading aloud this story at bedtime for their children. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung; Ages 3 to 7.

Children's Literature - Carrie Hane Hung

Little Nutbrown Hare is trying to tell Big Nutbrown Hare just how much he loves him, but each time Big Nutbrown Hare's love seems to be bigger. Indeed, there is no way to measure the love, and Little Nutbrown Hare can finally only express it by saying his love is as far as the moon. After Big Nutbrown Hare kisses Little Nutbrown Hare goodnight, he whispers that his love is as far as the moon and back. This loving goodnight book has expressive and lively illustrations.

Barnes & Noble Staff

From Horn Book An abbreviated edition of the story about Little Nutbrown Hare trying to prove how much he loves Big Nutbrown Hare is weakened by the addition of popups and pull tabs to the illustrations. The paper engineering is standard at best (some pages are quite stiff) and adds nothing to the sentiment of the text and the otherwise charming illustrations. Stick with the original edition. -- Copyright © 1999 The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved.

Lund

Fresh as a fiddlehead fern in spring, this beguiling bedtime tale features a pip of a young rabbit and his indulgent parent. Searching for words to tell his dad how much he loves him (and to put off bedtime just an eentsy bit longer), Little Nutbrown Hare comes up with one example after another ("I love you as high as I can hop!"), only to have Big Nutbrown Hare continually up the ante. Finally, on the edge of sleep, he comes up with a showstopper: "I love you right up to the moon." (Dad does top this declaration too, but only after his little bunny falls asleep.) Effused with tenderness, McBratney's wise, endearing and droll story is enriched by the near-monochromatic backdrop of Jeram's pen-and-wash artwork, rendered earthy tones of moss, soft brown and gray for a visually quieting effect just right for that last soothing tale before sleep. Ages 3-up. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, illus. by Anita Jeram, now appears in a gifty square-sized "Sweetheart Edition" for parent-child sharing, complete with a red cloth cover and gold type on the spine. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

It's Little Nutbrown Hare's bedtime. Stalling, he tells his father how much he loves him-as far as he can reach, as high as he can hop. Each time, Big Nutbrown Hare goes him one better-he can reach farther, hop higher. Finally, Little Nutbrown Hare falls asleep. As he gazes protectively at his son, Big Nutbrown Hare whispers some final words of love. Endearing pen and ink/watercolor illustrations complete this sweet tale of familial devotion. It also comes in a board book version and a boxed set that contains stuffed hare and the board book.

Children's Literature - Dr. Judy Rowen

It's Little Nutbrown Hare's bedtime. Stalling, he tells his father how much he loves him-as far as he can reach, as high as he can hop. Each time, Big Nutbrown Hare goes him one better-he can reach farther, hop higher. Finally, Little Nutbrown Hare falls asleep. As he gazes protectively at his son, Big Nutbrown Hare whispers some final words of love. Endearing pen and ink/watercolor illustrations complete this sweet tale of familial devotion, which is now available in a pop-up version. There are tabs to pull and a big panoramic pop-up of Little Nutbrown Hare and his Dad.

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

PreS-K-In this simple story, a father and son try to outdo one another in expressing their affection. Little Nutbrown Hare says that he loves his father as high as he can reach. Big Nutbrown Hare replies that he loves his son as high as he can reach-which is very high. Father seems to be winning-until the young rabbit tells dad that he loves him right up to the moon-which his father agrees is very far away. But as he kisses his son goodnight, he replies, ``I love you right up to the moon-and back.'' The watercolor illustrations are composed of scratchy lines and large areas of watery washes that are charming, but not too sweet. Large typeface and repetitive refrains invite beginning readers. It's refreshing and realistic to see a father and son relationship that is both competitive and loving.-Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library

School Library Journal

ges 35. An endearing nursery game is beautifully revitalized in this comforting, sleepy-time picture book. A little hare tests his father's love by declaring his own: "Guess how much I love you . . . This much." Jeram's double-page-spread watercolors are just right for the gentle competition that ensues as parent and child each avow affection in ever more expansive terms. Neither sugary nor too cartoonlike, the watercolors, in soft shades of brown and greens with delicate ink-line details, warmly capture the loving relationship between parent and child as well as the comedy that stems from little hare's awe of his wonderful dad. The story ends with a declaration of love so great it reaches "right up to the moon," and little hare finally falls fast asleep. There's not a wrong note in this tender tale, which should become an enduring bedtime favorite--right up there with "Goodnight Moon".

Stephanie Zvirin