Homemade Love

by bell hooks, Shane W. Evans (Illustrator)

Her Mama calls her Girlpie-a sweet treat, homemade with love. And when Girlpie makes a mistake, the love of her mother and father lets her pick up the pieces and make everything right again. Shane W. Evan's resplendent artwork teems with "homemade love," one of the tender nicknames award-winning author bell hooks gives her young heroine.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Poetry, Love, African American, Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

bell hooks (deliberately in lower-case; born Gloria Jean Watkins) was an African-American author, feminist, and social activist. Her writing focused on the interconnectivity of race, class, and gender and their ability to produce and perpetuate systems of oppression and domination. She published over thirty books and numerous scholarly and mainstream articles, appeared in several documentary films and participated in various public lectures. Primarily through a postmodern female perspective, she addressed race, class, and gender in education, art, history, sexuality, mass media and feminism.

Reviews

[Sorento62 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice enough book, full of love. But I found myself skeptical about the statement that all hurts can be healed and the world made new again. I suppose that is a Christian outlook, but I believe the results of some actions cannot be made “all better.”
Yes, I know it’s a kid’s book, and in the context of parents’ love for a child the statement is generally true. But I can’t help feeling it is a misrepresentation of reality for the statement to be all inclusive, which is the way it seems to be presented.

[Jennifer Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love reading this book to preschoolers. I always tell them the girl has a magic dress, and it changes to reflect what's happening. It's a very simple, lovely story.

[Shayla Ware · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homeade Love by Bell Hooks is a super cute picture book for very young readers. This book can be read to a infant, toddler and can also be read by a kindergartner. This book is about a little girl that breaks a vase of her mother and is scared that they will be mad at her. Her family forgives her and fixes the vase and then they shower her with love. I kept going back and fourth between four stars and five, I wasn't sure if such a small book should receive such points. after I looked at the book again and thought about the lesson learned I knew it was worth five points. the characters are a loving family which can make the children you are reading the book to connect to the story. The language is very kid friendly and allows for younger readers to understand what it is that they are reading. The illustrations in this book are PHENOMENAL Shane Evans the illustrator used up both pages for one scene in each book. when you one the book up the left side and the right side of the pages are all one image. The colors are bright and bring the book to life, the way he has vibrant blues and yellows against her chocolate skin makes the little girl stand out on the pages. The details put into the texture for this book is so out of this world, the father has braids and you can see each individual strand of hair. This is a great book for young readers since kids will always make mistakes and adults will always have to forgive them this teaches children its okay. This would be a lesson you teach at the start of the semester to get your students used to being okay with speaking up if they make a mistake or break something. Too many kids are afraid to speak up for fear of being in trouble everyone makes mistakes.

[Shakita · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I like most about this book was it made me happy to read. This book shows how a child feels having her parent's love and how they show that love to her. It uses fun adjectives and makes some words in all caps and larger to focus on that word. The pictures are bright and happy. I thought it was a great book overall.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fantastic little book with a sweet, sweet message. I wish I had kids this age I could buy this for and read to every night.

Bell Hooks is amazing.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean, bell hooks wrote a great children's book!

[Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful picture book that captures safe, warm family love. It is poetic and simple and beautifully illustrated, and bell hooks wrote it!

[Gina]

Homemade Love tells about a little girl named Girlpie who makes a mistake and when that happens, the love and forgiveness of her mother and father creates a warmth experience. This book depicts how a child feels having her parent's love and how they show that love to her. It uses fun adjectives and makes some words in all caps and larger to focus on that word. The illustrations in this text are colorful and bright. For a literacy lesson, I would have students to draw pictures and write a story about how your teacher, parents, siblings, etc. makes you feel safe? Students will utilize vibrant colors for their illustration.

[Tiffany Wideman]

Homemade Love is a book about a girl who's mama calls her Girlpie. In the book the girl explains how even if she makes mistakes her parents forgive her and make everything alright. In the end she is in her bed and says, "There is no need to fear the darkplace 'cause everywhere is home" which was so great to me. This would be a great book that I could use in my classroom to do a read aloud and emphasize tone. Also I will make sure I point out how the writer is writing to show students that writing how you talk and feel is okay.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book of family love. A young child celebrates and glories in the love her family has for her. She shares their special names for her, girlpie, honey bun, chocolate dew drop. She acknowledges that she is not always doing right, but there is healing and forgiveness in this family love. This is a book to bring smiles and warm feelings and ends with a child in bed so would be perfect nighttime fare.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweetness in this family are nicknames shared by a little girl, like "Homemade Love". The gorgeous illustrations by Shane Evans help tell the story of "Girlpie", what her Mama calls her. And when she makes a mistake, her parents let her pick up the pieces and start again. When a child is upset through an accident of some sort, this may be a book that helps tell it's okay, that love is still there. The ending at bedtime will make it a bedtime story too.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Her Mama calls her Girlpie-a sweet treat, homemade with love. And when Girlpie makes a mistake, the lover of her mother and father lets her pick up the pieces and make everything right again. Shane W. Evan's resplendent artwork teems with "homemade love," one of the tender nicknames award-winning author bell hooks gives her young heroine.

[Juliana Chau · Rating 5 out of 5]

2002 First off, bell hooks?! A children’s book?! I am in love! I was so excited when I saw the words bell hooks in Deanna’s library. This book has a heart warming theme of “home,” and is more fit for younger ages with the simplicity of the story. There are good vocab words in here to learn!

Multiculturalism, picture book

[Jane G Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the illustrations to the poetic text, I just love this book. There are pies, and hugs, and doggies. There are kisses, and flowers, and it all ends with sweet dreams and night and stars. A perfect bedtime read for really little ones.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my son’s (age 2) favorite books. It is about a little girl and the love of her family. She shows us that we all make mistakes and that it is ok. The book demonstrates how we all love in different ways and how a child’s love brings security.

[Viviane Elbee]

I liked the expressiveness and bright colors in the illustrations. This book has very few words, and focuses on cute loving expressions that the parents use with their daughter. Quick read, and good for Valentine's Day.

[Tiyahna Ridley-Padmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was thrilled that I got to introduce the little ones in my life to Bell Hooks through this very cute, age-appropriate board book. Story is uplifting and features fun illustrations of an under represented family dynamic.

[Mckinley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this has a good message.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a sweet book that doubles as a bedtime story. I typically enjoy when an author is versatile enough to write both for children or adults.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a powerhouse of a picture book: Shane Evans' quirky, accessible pictures and hooks' poetic story of unconditional love. Full of affirmations and positivity.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Used this one for a few storytimes. In addition to girlpies I slipped in a boypie reference since I had both in the crowd. So sweet!

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little too saccharine for me.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations and a loving story.

[Aliza Werner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Board book

[Tracy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not even blank verse (is that even the term? No rhyme, no meter.) Phooey. I really, really wanted to like this book. Dangit.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young girl is assured of her parents love even when she makes mistakes. The strong family bond makes it easier to sleep in the dark by herself.

[Natasha Winfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Homemade Love by Bell Hooks. This book is considered a picture book for kids 1-3 years old. This story follows a little girl, her mom and dad as she describes the words her parents use to describe her and what she means to them. I rated this book five stars because I think children feel loved and cherished when the people around them call them by endearing terms. The illustrations in the books show the love that the parents have for their little girl, even when she makes mistakes. I think children will enjoy reading this book because they would enjoy seeing the different emotions shown and hearing the confidence of the little girl when she goes to bed at night. The love of the parents carries the little girl even when she goes to sleep and in her dreams. i would use this book to engage the students in conversations about feelings and names that they are called that makes them feel loved.

[Rebecca Dougherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coincidentally I just read Chocolate Me written by Taye Diggs and illustrated by Shane W. Evans, the same illustrator of this book. Evans' illustrations are wonderful in both books, expressing acceptance and love. For me, this is just further evidence against the claim that Chocolate Me is racist. Almost a decade before that book, Evans illustrated Homemade Love written by THE bell hooks. bell hooks, who wrote many amazing books for children, including this one, is one of the most influential American poets, and whose seminal work Ain't I a Woman addressed the intersectionality of race, sex, gender, and class. These texts and interpretational are intertwined. I love the poetry and flow of Homemade Love and the message of forgiveness, of self and one another, and resilience.

[Oak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. It is very simple and I thought it may be right for my youngest (5), and too young for my oldest (8), but they're caught in a high-conflict divorce and it turns out they both enjoy how loving the book's message is. It is a great illustration of unconditional parental love, "making it better" when you make a mistake, and the term "homemade love" really captures the "I love you forever, no matter what" feeling for the kids.

[Zanneta Kubajak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book warmed my heart before I even had children. I purchased it because it was authored by Bell Hooks... obviously!! However, the message brought me to tears. Centering a young girl whose identity is affirmed by her family through loving nicknames and acts of service, the readers are offered a chance to explore how love fuels forgiveness. I come back to this book often when I need encouragement!