LOVE

by Corrinne Averiss, Kirsti Beautyman (Illustrations)

Funny, emotional, and uplifting picture book about separation and love, to help children understand their emotions. Everyone loves everyone in Tess’s house, but when Tess has to leave for school for the very first time, she is worried that her family’s love might not stretch that far. Mom explains that love is like a string, it connects people together even when they are far away. At school Tess notices that all the children have strings! Some are new, some are old, some stretch a long way, and some even stretch right up into the sky. But what happens when a string breaks? Love is the third in a trio of feel-good picture books from author Corrinne Averiss ( Joy (2018), Hope (2019)) - a pure delight from start to finish. A wonderful story that subtly tackles difficult topics of death , grief , separation , and overcoming anxiety .

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, School, Love, Fiction, Back To School

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Corrinne is the author of My Pet Star, winner of the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book of the Year, shortlisted for Stockport and Dundee Children’s Book Awards and in over 450,000 homes as part of Booktrust’s Pyjamarama campaign.

She is drawn to themes of identity and belonging in her books and aims to deliver big feelings with humour and tenderness

Her first book, A Dot in the Snow, illustrated by Fiona Woodcock, was shortlisted for the CILIP Greenaway award, featured on CBeebies’ Bedtime Stories and in The Sunday Times’ Books of the Year.

She is the author of Joy, Hope, Sorrel and the Sleepover, The Boy on the Bench and Floss the Playground Boss, with a further three titles publishing in 2021.

Corrinne has spent much of her life being a professional silly person in children’s television; she created the four-time Children’s BAFTA-winning Share a Story competition and has an animated preschool series under commission from CBeebies.

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tess has always felt love in her home, but will this love extend to her school? Simple idea, but so beautifully executed! Oh, why weren't there such beautiful books when I was a child!?!?!?!??! I read the whole thing with a huge grin on my face, and yes, with great big strings of warm cocooning love all over me.
The story, the illustrations, the writing, the moral, all perfect!!!

I received an advance review copy of the book from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.


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[Sara Machado · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's no shortage of books to teach love to children, but somehow I haven’t found yet the one that really made sense to me. Until Love by Corrine Averiss.

Absolutely wonderful! I need this in paper!

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group – words & pictures, words & pictures and Netgalley for providing me an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Romie · Rating 5 out of 5]

it feels like the kind of books I would've loved as a child. a book telling me that my emotions were valid, showing me that simply because you can't see your loved ones doesn't mean they don't love you anymore. such a great little book!

[Briar's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE by Corinne Averiss is a wonderful story all about love, friendship and connection.

I can easily see this book being a resource to help kids transition into school or new situations (camps, daycares or staying away from their parents for a night, for an example). This book explains that everyone who cares for each other has a string attached to them. When you leave your parents to go to school, they are still at the end of your string even if they are far away. It's a really sweet message that can help explain that someone still loves you and cares for you when you aren't right with them.

This book is marvellous and I highly recommend it. Young readers will be able to appreciate and learn from this book. As a bonus, the illustrations are colourful, soft and engaging.

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, words & pictures, and Quarto Publishing Group for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

[Resh (The Book Satchel) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely picturebook! Absolutely enjoyed it. The illustrations are glorious. And the story—about Tess going to school for the first time and wondering if her family and mother's love would stretch far enough when she is away—is an excellent idea. The book, in simple words, shows how 'love' is and the apprehensions kids have when they leave home for school. Kids would love this book and so will adults.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated where the words and pictures dovetail wonderfully to enhance and lift this story to a level of enchanted bliss.
It is hard to relate emotions into concepts young people can fully understand. The key word here is Love, the title of the book and this abstract word is shared across the context of family life. The sense of belonging and shared experiences.
In this way Love is used to explore and comfort allowing less tangible words for emotions to be introduced. These are separation and anxiety.
So a beautiful book, clearly a firm favourite of children who love the illustrations, the word pictures wrapping up this family in love.
I am always loathed to give adult concepts to formulate and influence a child’s own imagination so I would ask as part of my reading what they think of these ideas. The bond of love is here imagined as a connecting string or an enveloping scarf.
Preparing and going to school is more of a trauma for parents than kids in my own experience, but ideas such as separation and the anxiety of not being picked up with everyone else at the end of a school day could be traumatic at any age.
Some of us carried it into dating (no mobile phones then kids), waiting outside the cinema for that girl to turn up.
This is a book that deserves a place on a child’s bookcase and it will prompt wider chats to bottom out some difficult emotions. The very act of reading to a child indicates an existing love and bond with them.

[JADE · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Love is like a string between us—it can stretch as far as it needs to.”

Adorable story about having first day jitters in school and dealing with separation anxiety…a lovely message how at the end of the day, you’ll always come home to the ones who love you. 💖

[Atul_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful story that would warm every reader's heart. With the adorable arts and good message, kids shall love to read this!

You'll be reminded that love is always there, whether you can see it or not. And no matter where you're going even if you're far away or separate from your loved one, you'll know that you're loved and that special person is watching you always be it physically or in their prayers.

That's what truly remarkable with love because you can feel it exist in your heart ❤️

[Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a special story! This book focuses on separation anxiety and how our love and connection stays strong even when we are not physically close to our loved ones. Tess is going to school for the first time, and she is very nervous to be away from her family. Her mother comes up with a sweet plan to help Tess remember their love is still connected to each other despite the fact that they are not together. Tess finds other children at school who she has things in common with, and her teacher helps her feel safe as well. I love the diversity in this book, and the topic of being separated being scary for some children. This would be great for kids who are struggling with being away from their family. A wonderful and Important read. Children’s emotions matter, and this book is reassuring for those who struggle with separation. The illustrations are beautiful and catch your eye right way.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A touching and beautifully illustrated children’s book about connection: when we’re with the people we love, when we’re temporarily absent from them, and after their death.

The connection metaphor is shown by a string that links person to person, even to animal companions. The story helps young readers better cope with separation anxiety in a gentle yet impactful way.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 19 Jan 2021
#LOVE #NetGalley

Thanks to Quarto Publishing Group – words & pictures and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Shifty Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great picture book that really shows the power of love that transcends space and time. It is an wonderful story for both children and adults. I would say it works amazing as an encouragement for children that have to stay away from their parents for the first time, as well as for those that have lost someone dear to them to death. I think it is one of the most invocative and swoon-worthy picture book I have ever come across, and the gorgeous illustrations really do the book justice.

[Britt · Rating 3 out of 5]

LOVE by Corrinne Averiss is a good book about separation anxiety and love. The art is pretty to look at.

When Tess has to start school for the first time, her family cannot come with her. Everyone loves everyone is her house but will the love be able to stretch the distance from home to school?

I loved the message of love being like a string that can reach everywhere without breaking. I think this book might be especially nice if you have a child or know someone who has separation anxiety.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally add Children books to my GoodReads list, but this book was too gorgeous not to.

My 6 year old read this with me, we loved the beautiful artwork and also the story that no matter how far away we are from our loved ones, there is a string of love connecting us and they are always here with us.

This book focuses on starting starting school and the worries of a child being away from their loved ones whilst at school.

Such a lovely book and my 6 year old has already asked if we can read it again later so I would really recommend it for anyone with young kids at the start of their school journeys.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of LOVE by Corrinne Averiss.

This is a beautiful story about a little girl going to school for the first time. Tess is nervous that she won't feel her families love when she's not with them. Her Mom explains that love is like a string and it will connect people no matter how far away they are. It is a wonderful book for kids who are anxious to go to school or be far away from their loved ones.

I will definitely get this book for our library.

[Filipa]

A stunning picture book that shows how love connects us even when we're apart.

[João Teixeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ideia de uaver fios que nos unem a outraw pessoas não é necessariamente uma novidade, mas está aqui muito bem executada. A história é bonita e as ilustrações também. Vale a pena ler este livro e dá-lo a conhecer às crianças.

[Elif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely illustrations!

[Nora Waller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess lives in a home that has love everywhere. Her mom, her dad, and even her dog all love each other and are tied together by a “string.” One day, Tess has to go to school for the first time and grows concerned that her mother’s love won’t stretch all the way to school. Her mom tells her that love is like a string that connects over any distance and doesn’t end when you leave the house. At school Tess begins to notice that all of her friends also have strings. All the strings look different. Some of the strings are short, some are long, and some even go all the way up into the sky. This is a book about a young girl learning how to regulate her emotions and understanding that love goes beyond barriers and covers the distance.

I thought this book was a really sweet way to depict the power and concept of love. Averiss does a great job of depicting the emotions of a young child navigating through her emotions and trying to determine what is real. I loved imagining love as a string. This represents both the durability and fragility of love.

This would be a great book to use when teaching metaphors. The imagery of love as a string is a great example of a metaphor and figurative language. This would also be a great book to use when teaching emotional regulation.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tess’s house is full of love, with Daddy, Mommy, Tess, Tom and the dog, Diggle, all caring for one another. It is like a warm scarf of love. But when Tess must start school, she worries that her family’s love won’t find her. Her Mommy tells her that love is like a string that can stretch as far as it needs to. Tess makes it through her first day, but becomes scared and sad at the end of the day when Mommy is late to pick her up. She pulls on the string of love and finds it has lost its connection at the other end, so she dissolves in tears. Finally Mommy comes to get her and fixes the string, telling Tess that the string may sometimes stretch or tangle, but it will never really break.

This emotional and personal story about love and separation will resonate with families that have a big transition coming up, such as the start of school. The golden string representing love (a glowing gilt color on the cover) is a nice metaphor that may help kids visualize how love can be present without a family member close by. The lovely stylized art depicts a white family in a diverse community and school, which appears to be a in a European village.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book tells the story of Tess who is starting school. She has always felt cocooned in love at home and wonders what it will be like to venture out into the world with no family member in her classroom. Tess’s mom assures her that there is a string (invisible) that always will keep them together. But…what happens when a little something goes wrong? Will love remain strong? No spoiler, of course it will.

This picture book has inviting illustrations and highlights the love of parents, siblings and grandparents. It shows that school is a benign environment with kind teachers and children. All of this is positive. I do think that young children will be reassured by this title. Literal young children may need a bit of help to understand a metaphorical string though.

At its core this is a story about coping with separation anxiety and the worry new situations can pose for children. Hopefully, this book’s audience will find its message empowering and encouraging.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

[Catherine Craig (Angelic Light) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book about a little girl called Tess who started school and was worried incase she couldn't feel the love from her family while she was there. Her family reminded her that their love is always with her and that they are attached to each other by strings which keep their love strong. The illustrations in the book are lovely and they show these golden strings of love which join each family member together, as well as the strings which Tess forms with her teacher and friends. This is a beautiful, heartwarming book, which made me feel quite emotional. It showed that Tess shouldn't worry about going to school as her teacher and friends will love her and take care of her while she is there and her Mum will pick her up when she is finished and give her the love she needs. My daughter and I really enjoyed this book and we had a big cuddle at the end of it to show our love for each other.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has a very good message that is sweetly delivered.

Tess is blessed to have a warm and lovely family consisting of mother, father, daughter, and son. The time comes for Tess to go to school and she is concerned about leaving her family. Her mother explains that love is a string, connecting people even when they are far away. Tess’s teacher encourages her and reinforces the message. Tess sees other children with strings and one has a string that connects even an absent parent. But how will Tess react at the end of the day when the other children leave and her parents haven’t yet arrived?

This is a lovely picture book and an easy read for young children. The message is beautiful and perfect to share with children who will be experiencing time away from their parents whether for school or perhaps for deployment or medical reasons. The illustrations are clear and charming. I highly recommend this, and I would like to see Ms. Averiss’ previous books too.

Source: 2020 NetGalley.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book looked like it was going to be ridiculously cute and that is why I was first drawn to it. The cover reminded me slightly of the Little People, Big Dreams series so I wasn't surprised to find that they are published by the same company.
Love is the story of Tess who is starting school for the first time and wants to understand how love can stretch to fill the physical gap between her and her parents. You follow her through her day as she discovered that love can be all around her and that the love from her parents never leaves her. It will stretch between them and always connect them.
This is a great story to read to kids who are struggling with the idea of starting school and being away from their parents for the first time. The whole thing is massively heartwarming. The art feels like a protective warm hug.
I was sent a copy of Love for review by the publishers.

[The Book Squirrel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet picture book about how the love we share with others connects us like a string.

It portrays all relationships positively, and while this is lovely and may be comforting to most, phrases like "I promise your mummy is always on the other end" (always be connected to you with love) won't necessarily comfort children whose mothers are abusive, are emotionally absent, or have abandoned them. I'm definitely not saying every book has to show every kind of relationship, because that's just not possible or necessary (not to mention, young children who do have secure familial relationships don't need to read about the other side yet), but it's just something that stood out to me and I know certain children I won't be reading this with, at least not without being prepared to explain that you can have a love string with important people other than a mother.

[Tory]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

Disclaimer: there was something wrong with the file, where many of the pages didn’t display correctly, so I’m not able to give a fully accurate review on the entire book.

The reason I wanted to read this book is because my toddler has reached the “I love everything stage,” and I’m trying to find resources to help her learn what love means. This is a great book to add to your collection even if you don’t have the same situation. The messaging is sweet and educational, as well as age appropriate for a child to understand. I really enjoyed the art and coloring.

Even though I wasn’t able to see the whole book, I plan on purchasing a physical copy to share with my daughter. We need more books like this.

[Theediscerning · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most assuredly successful look at a family full of love, and a doubting young girl who fears it might still not be enough to impact her and keep up the warm and cosy feeling it gives her when she faces her first day at school. The visuals are really strong here, right down to how the love is conveyed, shared and so easily mended – I'm making sure not to give any spoilers as to how it's carried on to the page. I was left wondering why the mother's drop-shoulder jumper and the tribal-style tattoos it showed off were such an important feature, but it was one more really attractive element of this volume. Obvious and clear, without being overtly An Obvious Important Lesson Book, this deserves to do really well.

[Nourishedbybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely story of the strength and boundless quality of love.
This story reminds me of the invisible stirring.
It follows a young girl going to school for the first time, her Mum explains how she has a string of Love which will stretch all the way to school. Mum is late at home time and the little girl unties her string of Love.
As well as the text being perfect for the age range, the exquisite illustrations add a subtle depth and lots of opportunities to talk around the text about ways to reconnect and build love.
A lovely book, especially for children starting school, or returning to school one COVID restrictions allow.
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

[Roxana · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE, written by Corrinne Averiss with illustrations by Kirsti Beautyman, is a touching, sweet, and beautifully illustrated little book to help explain love and separation anxiety to young children. It's a heartwarming read, that cleverly renders the intangibility of love and connection as a visible, visceral string analogy that works quite well. The illustrations are soft, warm-colored, and gentle, perfectly suiting the text. Perfect for a gift for new parents or young kids, and especially lovely for bedtime reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the advance review copy!

[Misa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my god! This was so adorable and I just loved it. The story was so beautiful and the illustrations were so cute and wonderful. What is not to love about this book let me ask you.
The cover was amazing and it made me curious to know how it would be inside. The illustrations made this simple short story alive.
This book is just about LOVE and nothing more, we are always connected to those we love either here or beyond this world. The string is too long and could not be cut because they remain in our hearts today and forever.

[Little Red R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"If we're not together, will the love still find me?" asked Tess
"Don"t worry", said Mum, "Love is like a string between us - it can stretch as. far as it needs to"

LOVE was so beautiful and heartwarming! It's a story about the first day of school but most of all: love. The story portrays different type of love and I really loved how it was explained, The drawings shows that love is everywhere and that we can have different strings linked to friends, family etc and that even if we can't see the other person, love is and will always be here once the love string is created.

I highly recommend it!!