YOU ARE MY SWEETHEART

A simple rhyming board book covers all things sweet and loving.

Wan’s glitter-encrusted board book is a sweet, delicious ode to pet names for a baby from “sweetie pie” to “cuddlebug.” Each double-page spread features these anthropomorphized symbols of love, drawn in bold lines with sweet cartoon expressions. The name of the focal object is highlighted by its own matching display type. The word “rosebud,” for example, is drawn with tiny roses inside the letters to match the accompanying illustration. Each layout includes sweet details: The background of the pages echoes the main illustration (and even the bee flying toward the rosebud leaves a trail in the air in the shape of a heart). Readers will enjoy finding new details to admire each time they sit down with the book. From start to finish, the text reads as one rhyming poem, giving it a nice rhythm and pace. Adults reading to little ones in their laps will take full advantage of the book’s direction to cuddle, kiss, and hug. Overall, this simple, well-paced read is sure to elicit a smile from caregivers and their honeybuns alike.

There’s nothing abundantly original in this book, but it’s just sweet enough to earn a spot on little readers’ bookshelves.