Peter McCarty, the author and illustrator of one of my favorite children’s books (Little Bunny On the Move), has written a new book that’ll warm your heart through and through. Henry in Love is so charming, so simple, so real, that you will feel as if you’ve crawled into its pages and back into your own childhood.
I admit, a big sway for me in regards to whether or not I pick up a children’s book is its cover. The illustration art must beg me to reach out. With this book, it most definitely did. It’s so simple yet so artfully done….and the little characters’ faces peering out at me got me saying, “awwwwww.”
Yet this book is not just cover art. Henry in Love is an innocent portrayal of childhood….of a first crush….of the little things in life that are humongous in the eyes of kids.
Most of the pages are white and clean, leaving you to focus on the subject in the center of each. Color is used only for emphasis and charm. There is no overstimulation here, neither in artwork nor in text.
Henry, a little furry creature (a cat?) is friends with another little cuddly guy, Sancho (a puppy?). A chance meeting up with a football player one morning before school leads Henry into a face-to-face encounter with his school crush, Chloe (a rabbit?). (The nondescript animal species are half of what makes them so cute!)
There’s a simplistic yet realistic description of all things elementary school…the anticipation of a lunchbox treat from Mom, social mores at recess, showing off talents for the opposite gender. In an innocent, playful way, nearly all the feelings and experiences of childhood are conveyed in an extremely uncluttered plot. Your children will maybe relate….but you sure will. (I did.) Nostalgic warm fuzzies stayed with me long after closing this storybook.
You can find Henry in Love by Peter McCarty at your local bookseller or order it online from HarperCollins Children’s for $16.99. What a sweet Valentine’s Day gift this would be!
Win it! Courtesy of HarperCollins, I am able to offer one of you a copy of Henry in Love. Simply comment below with another HarperCollins title from their children’s line that you’d love to give to your kids. I’ll close the contest next Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 11pm EST. Sorry; US entries only. Good luck!
CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
Congrats to commenter #3, Jennifer, the winner of this book!
FTC info — Disclaimer: I received this product for free for review purposes; however, my review was honest and my opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Winning Readings (2 years ago)
Lots that I’d love! Fancy Nancy would be fun…
janemaritz at yahoo dot com
Wendy (2 years ago)
The Flat Stanley books.
Jennifer (2 years ago)
I could spend hours on that site! I love the Ramona books! LOVED them as a kid and would love to share them with my daughter!
~ Jennifer
http://thetoyboxyears.blogspot.com
Cindi (2 years ago)
I Love You All Day Long has a wonderful cover and sounds like another fun book about love…..Many thanks, Cindi
Julie L (2 years ago)
The book Bella Sara
DEBIJOT (2 years ago)
Where The Wild Things Are
Meredith (2 years ago)
Where the wild things are is a favorite for us!
Megan (2 years ago)
I always loved A Light In the Attic.
xenia (2 years ago)
Tess’s Tree looks cute!
Wendy Mahaney (2 years ago)
I would love to share the book Louise the Adventures of a Chicken
Nancye Davis (2 years ago)
I would love to give my daughter “Goldilicious” or any of the Fancy Nancy books.
nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net
Laura (2 years ago)
Paddington at the Beach looks good..
LNS (2 years ago)
Fancy Nancy ‘oooohhh la la’!!
Vicki Wurgler (2 years ago)
The Unfinished Angel
By Sharon Creech
Christine Jensen (2 years ago)
Jake Ransom and the Skull Kings sounds like an interesting read
Kim (2 years ago)
LOVE Goodnight Moon!
Birdie S. (2 years ago)
Flat Stanley would be one my girls would love
Paige (2 years ago)
I would like the Ramona Quinby books.
TRACY HEYER (2 years ago)
Where The Wild Things Are is very nice.
Kristi (2 years ago)
I can’t wait until my son gets a little older and we can read The Mouse and the Motorcycle together!
kherbrand at comcast dot net
Staci A (2 years ago)
I’m always swayed by the cover art too. This one looks cute! Flat Stanley: His Original Adventure looks great too.
Donna Brown (2 years ago)
I think my niece would like Fancy Nancy!
Chelsea S. (2 years ago)
I would love to have Tess’s Tree by Jess M. Brallier.
Beth C (2 years ago)
I’d like A Light in the Attic
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
angi (2 years ago)
we love flat stanley
shopannies@Yahoo.com
Renee G (2 years ago)
I would love to have a copy of Charlotte’s Web to read with my boys.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(Dot)com
Jamie (2 years ago)
A light in the attic.
Cheryl W (2 years ago)
I would love the book SMILE! to read to my daughter.
Kelly Ann T. (2 years ago)
Flat Stanley would be the hit at our house.
stephanie rutledge (2 years ago)
I want goldilicious!!!! So many many good book.
my 3 kids would LOVe this one Im sure!
kimberly h (2 years ago)
Lilly’s Chocolate Heart
Abi (2 years ago)
Fancy Nancy: Heart to Heart looks like a fun book.
Thanks.
Kelly Deaton (2 years ago)
I’d love to give my kids “The Mouse and the Motorcycle”. They love the movie & this would be a great bedtime read. Thanks for the chance!
Amy (2 years ago)
I LOVE Peter McCarty. My favorite is “T is for Terrible” with the TRex who doesn’t want to be bad
“Would I be so terrible if I were pink?”
Tracy Guenther (2 years ago)
I would love a copy of Fancy Nancy’s Late Late Late Night. My daughter loves Fancy Nancy. Thanks…
Linda Kish (2 years ago)
Splat the Cat
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
JudyB (2 years ago)
A Light In The Attic
shelly (2 years ago)
Goldilicious
Wehaf (2 years ago)
I’d love to give my niece a copy of Harold and the Purple Crayon.
Line (2 years ago)
I’d love to win this book! My students also enjoy the Tim Green (Football Hero, etc.. ) books and would probably enjoy the new one from HC: Football Champ!
Line (2 years ago)
OOps: there’s a typo in my email (see comment 40), this one is right. Line.
AZ (2 years ago)
We enjoyed “Jazzmatazz” and would love to own it. But honestly, we’re most excited about “Henry in Love”… Thanks for the chance to win!
zenzart at hotmail dot com
Laureen (2 years ago)
I know The Mouse and the Motorcycle would be a hit with my little one. Thanks for the chance to win!