A small boy asks his mother for reassurances that he is special. But the things she cites speak to him more of connections than uniqueness. His beautiful eyes are like his mother’s, his skin color like his father’s. Mama lists his helpful hands, his laughter, his kind heart and his hugs and kisses, but he sees these as small and imperfect. It is his mother’s huge, limitless love for him that makes him special. Evans employs a warm conversational tone and syntax that not only applies to the child in the tale but speaks universally to young readers, who will recognize their own special qualities. The large, naive-looking type appears around and through the pictorial matter, with key words like “amazing” and “beautiful” popping out larger, bolder and brightly colored. Steptoe’s unique textured, mixed-media illustrations are large-scale depictions of loving gestures and body and facial expressions. Like Mama Do You Love Me and Guess How Much I Love You but with an entirely fresh look; little ones will want to hear this sweet tale again and again. (Picture book. 2-6)
