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Only You/Solo Tu
With tender illustrations and prose as warm as a parent’s embrace, this love poem from a baby bear to his mother celebrates the simple activities—such as reading, playing, and eating together—that are so important to a growing child's development. Now available in a Spanish-English edition, Only You also includes a note from esteemed pediatrician and author Perri Klass.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 31, 2003
1 person is currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Wells
456 books381 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).
Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
January 18, 2021
"Only you...
can turn my gray sky blue.
Without you near,
I feel so very small.
How I wait to hear
your footsteps in the hall."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
Will you ever find a sweeter book than this? Likely not, unless it's another of Rosemary Wells's timeless stories. Whether one is talking about her picture books or novels, Rosemary Wells is unsurpassed in creating literature for kids of any age, and Only You is as winsomely darling a book as any she has written.
It can be so exhausting to care for a baby as he or she grows to age one, two, three and four, before being ready for school. The consistently abbreviated nights' sleep can wear on anyone after a while, so even the privilege of caring for a vibrant, endlessly original child feels like a grind, but the time is not forever. The days, weeks and months pass like a whisper of wind, their hushed urging to cherish each moment often indistinguishable amid all the peripheral noise, but those days, weeks and months soon snowball into larger chunks of time, barreling down a snowy hill in winter, picking up size and momentum with each revolution. Months grow into years, and before you know it school has started, and those first four years of a child's life, the years when nobody is more important than Mommy and Daddy, are but a wan memory kept in your heart and shared by the child, too, though that isn't always obvious. Appreciate those days; embrace them always, even when they don't feel like a blessing, for the sweetest and most important bond two human beings can have with one another, I believe, is in those formative days when you are the world to someone else, and all they need to be happy is you. How long are we given opportunity to enjoy such consanguinity of spirit in this lifetime, before it fades like smoke into the atmosphere of far-off memory?
"Only you...can make my dreams come true.
Dreams lie sleeping in my heart,
waiting for my world to start.
Only you."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
The author has beautifully, lovingly crafted an ode not to parent or child, but parent and child together as a single living, breathing organism that is so much more than the sum of the two individuals added together. There's adoration in every stumble and step, every joint project undertaken and mini adventure embarked upon, every question asked and even those that don't have to be voiced because parent and child know each other so well. It's all part of being so closely devoted to each other that there is no room for misunderstanding, or need for objective observation. In every one of the truly great relationships we make in our lifetime, there are bits and pieces of that intimacy to be found, like the pinpoints of distant stars scattered across the night sky as a promise there will always be light by which to see. Those moments of deepest reward in our relationships come when we reach, however briefly, the closeness made possible between parent and child in the first few years of the child's life, reminding us of the joy we may have once experienced with our own mother or father, and that we could find it again. It's the best part of your life, re-inviting you to join the celebration. Who could desire more than that?
I greatly appreciate Only You, and would give it at least two and a half stars. I'll think back on this book frequently when I need to remember what genuine love feels like at its starting point, and I'm sure that will be often. I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't be better off for reading Only You.
can turn my gray sky blue.
Without you near,
I feel so very small.
How I wait to hear
your footsteps in the hall."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
Will you ever find a sweeter book than this? Likely not, unless it's another of Rosemary Wells's timeless stories. Whether one is talking about her picture books or novels, Rosemary Wells is unsurpassed in creating literature for kids of any age, and Only You is as winsomely darling a book as any she has written.
It can be so exhausting to care for a baby as he or she grows to age one, two, three and four, before being ready for school. The consistently abbreviated nights' sleep can wear on anyone after a while, so even the privilege of caring for a vibrant, endlessly original child feels like a grind, but the time is not forever. The days, weeks and months pass like a whisper of wind, their hushed urging to cherish each moment often indistinguishable amid all the peripheral noise, but those days, weeks and months soon snowball into larger chunks of time, barreling down a snowy hill in winter, picking up size and momentum with each revolution. Months grow into years, and before you know it school has started, and those first four years of a child's life, the years when nobody is more important than Mommy and Daddy, are but a wan memory kept in your heart and shared by the child, too, though that isn't always obvious. Appreciate those days; embrace them always, even when they don't feel like a blessing, for the sweetest and most important bond two human beings can have with one another, I believe, is in those formative days when you are the world to someone else, and all they need to be happy is you. How long are we given opportunity to enjoy such consanguinity of spirit in this lifetime, before it fades like smoke into the atmosphere of far-off memory?
"Only you...can make my dreams come true.
Dreams lie sleeping in my heart,
waiting for my world to start.
Only you."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
The author has beautifully, lovingly crafted an ode not to parent or child, but parent and child together as a single living, breathing organism that is so much more than the sum of the two individuals added together. There's adoration in every stumble and step, every joint project undertaken and mini adventure embarked upon, every question asked and even those that don't have to be voiced because parent and child know each other so well. It's all part of being so closely devoted to each other that there is no room for misunderstanding, or need for objective observation. In every one of the truly great relationships we make in our lifetime, there are bits and pieces of that intimacy to be found, like the pinpoints of distant stars scattered across the night sky as a promise there will always be light by which to see. Those moments of deepest reward in our relationships come when we reach, however briefly, the closeness made possible between parent and child in the first few years of the child's life, reminding us of the joy we may have once experienced with our own mother or father, and that we could find it again. It's the best part of your life, re-inviting you to join the celebration. Who could desire more than that?
I greatly appreciate Only You, and would give it at least two and a half stars. I'll think back on this book frequently when I need to remember what genuine love feels like at its starting point, and I'm sure that will be often. I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't be better off for reading Only You.
November 6, 2018
"Only you...
can turn my gray sky blue.
Without you near,
I feel so very small.
How I wait to hear
your footsteps in the hall."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
Will you ever find a sweeter book than this? Likely not, unless it's another of Rosemary Wells's timeless stories. Whether one is talking about her picture books or novels, Rosemary Wells is unsurpassed in creating literature for kids of any age, and Only You is as winsomely darling a book as any she has written.
It can be so exhausting to care for a baby as he or she grows to age one, two, three and four, before being ready for school. The consistently abbreviated nights' sleep can wear on anyone after a while, so even the privilege of caring for a vibrant, endlessly original child feels like a grind, but the time is not forever. The days, weeks and months pass like a whisper of wind, their hushed urging to cherish each moment often indistinguishable amid all the peripheral noise, but those days, weeks and months soon snowball into larger chunks of time, barreling down a snowy hill in winter, picking up size and momentum with each revolution. Months grow into years, and before you know it school has started, and those first four years of a child's life, the years when nobody is more important than Mommy and Daddy, are but a wan memory kept in your heart and shared by the child, too, though that isn't always obvious. Appreciate those days; embrace them always, even when they don't feel like a blessing, for the sweetest and most important bond two human beings can have with one another, I believe, is in those formative days when you are the world to someone else, and all they need to be happy is you. How long are we given opportunity to enjoy such consanguinity of spirit in this lifetime, before it fades like smoke into the atmosphere of far-off memory?
"Only you...can make my dreams come true.
Dreams lie sleeping in my heart,
waiting for my world to start.
Only you."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
The author has beautifully, lovingly crafted an ode not to parent or child, but parent and child together as a single living, breathing organism that is so much more than the sum of the two individuals added together. There's adoration in every stumble and step, every joint project undertaken and mini adventure embarked upon, every question asked and even those that don't have to be voiced because parent and child know each other so well. It's all part of being so closely devoted to each other that there is no room for misunderstanding, or need for objective observation. In every one of the truly great relationships we make in our lifetime, there are bits and pieces of that intimacy to be found, like the pinpoints of distant stars scattered across the night sky as a promise there will always be light by which to see. Those moments of deepest reward in our relationships come when we reach, however briefly, the closeness made possible between parent and child in the first few years of the child's life, reminding us of the joy we may have once experienced with our own mother or father, and that we could find it again. It's the best part of your life, re-inviting you to join the celebration. Who could desire more than that?
I greatly appreciate this book, and would give it two and a half stars. I decided to round that to three instead of two, as Only You is certainly worth more than two stars. I will think back on this book frequently when I need to remember what genuine love feels like at its starting point, and I'm sure that will be often. I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't be better off for reading Only You.
can turn my gray sky blue.
Without you near,
I feel so very small.
How I wait to hear
your footsteps in the hall."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
Will you ever find a sweeter book than this? Likely not, unless it's another of Rosemary Wells's timeless stories. Whether one is talking about her picture books or novels, Rosemary Wells is unsurpassed in creating literature for kids of any age, and Only You is as winsomely darling a book as any she has written.
It can be so exhausting to care for a baby as he or she grows to age one, two, three and four, before being ready for school. The consistently abbreviated nights' sleep can wear on anyone after a while, so even the privilege of caring for a vibrant, endlessly original child feels like a grind, but the time is not forever. The days, weeks and months pass like a whisper of wind, their hushed urging to cherish each moment often indistinguishable amid all the peripheral noise, but those days, weeks and months soon snowball into larger chunks of time, barreling down a snowy hill in winter, picking up size and momentum with each revolution. Months grow into years, and before you know it school has started, and those first four years of a child's life, the years when nobody is more important than Mommy and Daddy, are but a wan memory kept in your heart and shared by the child, too, though that isn't always obvious. Appreciate those days; embrace them always, even when they don't feel like a blessing, for the sweetest and most important bond two human beings can have with one another, I believe, is in those formative days when you are the world to someone else, and all they need to be happy is you. How long are we given opportunity to enjoy such consanguinity of spirit in this lifetime, before it fades like smoke into the atmosphere of far-off memory?
"Only you...can make my dreams come true.
Dreams lie sleeping in my heart,
waiting for my world to start.
Only you."
—from Only You by Rosemary Wells
The author has beautifully, lovingly crafted an ode not to parent or child, but parent and child together as a single living, breathing organism that is so much more than the sum of the two individuals added together. There's adoration in every stumble and step, every joint project undertaken and mini adventure embarked upon, every question asked and even those that don't have to be voiced because parent and child know each other so well. It's all part of being so closely devoted to each other that there is no room for misunderstanding, or need for objective observation. In every one of the truly great relationships we make in our lifetime, there are bits and pieces of that intimacy to be found, like the pinpoints of distant stars scattered across the night sky as a promise there will always be light by which to see. Those moments of deepest reward in our relationships come when we reach, however briefly, the closeness made possible between parent and child in the first few years of the child's life, reminding us of the joy we may have once experienced with our own mother or father, and that we could find it again. It's the best part of your life, re-inviting you to join the celebration. Who could desire more than that?
I greatly appreciate this book, and would give it two and a half stars. I decided to round that to three instead of two, as Only You is certainly worth more than two stars. I will think back on this book frequently when I need to remember what genuine love feels like at its starting point, and I'm sure that will be often. I don't think there's anyone who wouldn't be better off for reading Only You.
October 18, 2020
Preachy... and what about the other caregivers in a child's life? Good gift for an inadequately parented young mother, maybe?
May 2, 2011
"Only You" by Rosemary Wells was a loving story, and I enjoyed reading it to my daughter. I thought the words and illustrations throughout the book really emphasized what I believe was the meaning of the story - that the baby bear was really special to his mother, and she devoted her time and attention to him because it was special. I thought it was adorable.
Plus, my daughter enjoyed browsing the pages of this book too...the pictures were so colorful and provided her lots of activity.
I give it 3 stars.
Plus, my daughter enjoyed browsing the pages of this book too...the pictures were so colorful and provided her lots of activity.
I give it 3 stars.
October 19, 2020
We are usually big fans of Rosemary Wells' stories. This one has some nice words and is mercifully short, but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense and it doesn't entertain our girls like her other stories do. It has some interesting words in it about the Zero to Three movement and reading to young children, but the book itself is only ok.
October 7, 2008
This book had me in tears the first couple of times I read it to my toddler. It is unique in that it is written from the child's perspective. It states simply and eloquently the love and adoration that a little child has for her mother. I only wished it was longer!
February 9, 2013
A baby bear has a whole day with mommy,and when she leaves he can't wait for her to come back to see her again. Another wonderful book by Rosemary Wells!
September 8, 2017
This book is very cute for younger children, especially toddlers. This would be a great book for mothers to read to their child because they can find similarities in the book of what the bears did and what they do in real life. It also shows how the mother will always cherish her baby, which is a good message to send to younger children.
August 3, 2017
The translation is horrible on this book.
May 27, 2009
I'm probably a little too passionate about how much I don't like the content of this book. The title says it all. "ONLY You"!? What about everyone else that we love and who loves us? I don't ever want him to think I'm the only one who loves him, or that he's the only one I love. I just don't get it - and certainly don't plan to read it to Noah. (It came free from Imagination Library - what were they thinking?)
April 24, 2012
Great book for toddler development. It teaches them about a parents unconditional love and encourages development by giving them one on one time. It's also a bilingual book utilizing both english and spanish on each page.
Extention Activity: Expand on the language by first reading the book in english and them in spanish. Have them say the word after you to help develope their pronounciations.
Extention Activity: Expand on the language by first reading the book in english and them in spanish. Have them say the word after you to help develope their pronounciations.
September 3, 2022
This sweet story told partly in rhyme is a child bear talking to a mother bear and telling her all the things only she can do that make him feel special. The book reminds parents or guardians to spend time every day with their child, with examples of how to make them feel special (hugs, reading, etc.) and gives tips on how to read to toddlers. The illustrations are simple and classic Rosemary Wells.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2015
This children's beginning book teaches young students about living. This beginning book teaches the concept of how a parent/guardian helps a child grow and understand the world and how it works. This is a cute children's story. I would have this beginning book in my classroom library for my students to read on their own. I would use this book in a pre-kindergarten or kindergarten classroom.
March 7, 2008
The idea behind the story is nice, but something feels like it is more for the parent than the child. Still, Wells' never fails (for me) with her illustrations. And yes I completely agree with the mother's influence and the difference it is to have her in the home, as this story conveys.
March 7, 2013
This book teaches children how they are special. This book teaches children that they are special to their mothers in different ways. Also shows how mothers help children throughout the day.
Learning Extension: The children can tell about the ways their mothers love them.
Learning Extension: The children can tell about the ways their mothers love them.
September 24, 2014
I like this book because I also like my mother, just like the little boy in this book does. I also like the little bear.
I like painting and baking with my mother and I like playing with her and dancing with her.
I like painting and baking with my mother and I like playing with her and dancing with her.
May 29, 2008
Probably good as a baby shower gift, but not that fun as a read aloud to child book- at least not for me...
October 23, 2008
Used with Spanish storytime.
May 18, 2009
The words don't go with the pictures, and in this case, the pictures are more interesting than the words.
March 31, 2012
This is a cute book for younger children about a mother and baby bear. In this book the baby bear is appreciating his mother for her love and patience with him.
March 27, 2014
Short read, good pictures
April 16, 2014
This book gives great advice about spending time with your kids. There is a special note to parents in the beginning that I really appreciated.
February 11, 2015
I read this to my 3 year old granddaughter and was a special moment. The bear child and his Momma-Grandma shares special moments of the day. Repeating through the book that there is "only you"
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December 5, 2016this book was about a mom and son that love to do things together. they only wanted to do thing with each other. this book would be a good book to introduce family. the pictures in this book are done with pencil and paint.
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May 5, 2019I’m learning Spanish so I thought maybe I could handle this level of reading. I was wrong.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews