Heartfelt hopes

Wishes For You

by Tobi Tobias; illustrated by Henri Sorensen

I’d love to review this book but I have to stop crying first …

*sniff*

There, I’m back. Maybe becoming a mother for the second time has made me overly sentimental and squishy, or maybe it’s a raging head cold that has me sniffling and snuffling over this book.

Although not expressly written from a grandparents’ perspective, the poetic wishes have a knowing quality to them. It’s as if Tobias gathered the best insights from years of patient child-raising and gently breathed them onto these pages, each a bubble of wisdom that shimmers briefly before evanescing into the next:

I hope you will have moments when you’re so happy, you’ll feel the sun is shining from inside you.

I hope you will want to make your body strong and quick and beautiful – and enjoy the way that feels.

Sorensen’s oil paintings add an elegant serenity. His wide brush strokes are awash in sunlit blues and greens and his children laugh, play and cuddle in compositions that are uncluttered, peaceful and bright.

A perfect book for teaching feelings or just for snuggle time.

Note: The cover shown here isn't the one on my review copy, which shows a sleeping infant against a dark background.

Rating: *\*\*\

Comments

[Susan]

Tobi Tobias was the longtime dance critic at New York Magazine. (What that is apropos of, I don't know..) I will have to look for this one. Sounds like it would make a nice gift for new parents.

[Anne]

Ah ... I should remember to Google the authors every now and then. Thanks for tip, and for stopping by.