EVERYWHERE

Two parents comfort sleepless children with a promise that love is present all around them in this picture book.

When it’s bedtime for a boy and a girl, they don’t want Mom and Dad to leave. The parents assure them that their love is always with them, wherever they are: It’s represented by the moon shining extra bright, the dog padding into their room while they’re asleep, a cardinal perching in a tree, the seeds of a dandelion, and the redness of the sunset. In a twist, illustrator Timm briefly depicts both children as adults as Mom and Dad note that their love will stay with them—as the cool breeze during a race, a favorite tune while driving, or a rainbow on a bad day. Loveless’ meditative rhymes only rarely miss a beat, and their overall message of comfort makes this book a good bedtime read-aloud. At the end, for example, the parents say to the drowsy children, “A gleeful moment, a happy thought. / A flower in a random spot. / ...We hope these things / help remind you of, / our endless, forever, / never-aging love.” Timm’s watercolor and mixed-media illustrations, featuring a family of mixed heritage, are beautifully textured with vivid scenes of nature.

A well-illustrated work with a message that will appeal to a young audience.