If I Could Keep You Little...

April 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 2-Moms and Dads express how much they enjoy their young children in this rhyming book. But, on the other hand, the parents would miss so much of the joy in watching them grow up if they did stay small. "If I could keep you little, /I'd decide on matching clothes./But then I'd miss you choosing/dots on top and stripes below..../If I could keep you little, /I'd tell you stories every night./But then I'd miss you reading the words you've learned by sight." And so it goes, as the adults eventually have to let go so that their youngsters can grow into the people they were meant to be. Richmond's ink and watercolor illustrations portray a multicultural cast of parents experiencing the same sense of joy and loss. This is an average tale, and the rhyme is forced at times, but it's suitable for one-on-one sharing.-Roxanne Burg, Orange County Public Library, CA

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2011
Each verse of this sentimental, parent-aimed book juxtaposes the desires of keeping one's children young with that of seeing them grow and mature: "If I could keep you little, / I'd tell you stories every night. / But then I'd miss you reading / the words you've learned by sight." The rhyme often sounds forced, while the illustrations, though pleasant, are unexceptional.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)