Don't Forget I Love You

Written by Miriam Moss
Illustrated by Anna Currey
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2004
Ages 3-7
4/5

Billy's Mama is late for work because Billy keeps playing with his favourite toy, Rabbit. Mama is cranky when she drops Billy off at nursery school; she forgets to tell Billy she loves him and accidentally takes Rabbit with her in her coat pocket. Just as Billy, who thinks Rabbit is lost in the rain, begins to cry, Mama comes back: not only did she just realize she has Rabbit, but she knows the most important thing of all is to say, "I love you."

This story is simple, but the rush of getting ready for school and work in the morning will be familiar to many children. Mama's reappearance with Rabbit is a reassurance that parents may sometimes seem to forget things or be too busy, but they still love their children.

Currey's watercolour pictures perfectly complement Moss's writing. The illustrations of Rabbit are particularly expressive, even though he's a stuffed animal, and illustrations of Billy show a little kid dawdling on a rainy morning.

This would be a great story for parents to read with their children.