LOVE LOTTERY

A debut picture book celebrates parental love.

A parent narrator begins this tale, addressed to a child, with an unspecified wish that savvy readers will understand is a longing for a baby. When the infant arrives, the narrator says, “Some things in life are meant to be. / Your little heart called out to me.” The joy the narrator feels is expressed as winning the love lottery of the title, which Darling cleverly illustrates as tickets with hearts on them, tucked into the pockets of the parents or held by the child as the youngster grows from a baby to a toddler to a somewhat older kid. Applauding happiness and expressing that unexpected obstacles should be met with “resilience and love,” the poem dominantly focuses on the huge feelings of love the parent has for the child, “however you came to be.” Huggins’ intentional inclusivity of children who may have been adopted or fostered is a lovely feature; the poetic stanzas mostly scan well, with a few clunky phrases (“this I know”). Darling’s cartoon images, which feature a pale-skinned family, are beautifully designed, reminiscent of Mary Engelbreit’s style. Although the vocabulary is accessible, the lettering, which frequently uses cursive, is likely to stump younger independent readers who have only learned to read print.

The soft cadence makes this sweetly illustrated poem a good choice for bedtime reading.