HOW WE LOVE

Love makes the world go round, but it can be a complex concept to explain to a toddler.

Thankfully, Douglas and Jefferson tackle the topic with aplomb, providing soon-to-be readers with simple text and images and caregivers with a superb tool to spark conversation. Pairing brief sentences with eye-catching photos, the authors emphasize that love is a multifaceted thing: “Sometimes love feels happy. Sometimes it brings a tear.” “Love can be soft and gentle or hard when we need space.” The accompanying visuals clarify the points made in ways little ones will readily understand (a caregiver cradles a baby; a child in need of space holds out a hand). Douglas and Jefferson demonstrate ways to express their love: “Sometimes love is helpful” (a youngster helps a parent wash dishes). “Love is listening even when there’s nothing to say” (a child comforts a crying baby; two people hug). A diverse cast is depicted. Several couples read as same-sex; a family in a courtroom celebrates their adoption being made official. The relationships between the people portrayed aren’t made explicitly clear by the text, offering a wide variety of readers the opportunity to see themselves here. To aid in starting dialogue, the last pages of the book feature discussion questions for youngsters ranging in age from babies and toddlers up to age 6, along with a note for grown-ups. We love it!

Happy families are wildly different in this joyfully inclusive series of lavishly photographed portraits.