Name of Book: Guess How Much I Love You
Author: Sam McBratney
Illustrator: Anita Jeram
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Audience: Ages 4-8
Summary: This book centers on the question of how much you can love someone. It is the classic tale of a little baby rabbit trying to tell his daddy rabbit how much he loves him, and each time he thinks he has come up with a greater and even bigger way to show his love to his daddy, his dad’s love becomes greater. The final quote from the daddy rabbit says it all, “I love you to the moon and back.”
Literary elements at work in the story: This book begins with the question, “Guess how much I love you”, and then continues through many pictorial and physical examples of how much the baby rabbit and daddy rabbit love one another. These examples all begin with the repetition of “I love you…” which focuses each page on the main point “love.” Due to the books use of repetition the children could join in saying “I love you” each time. In fact, my daughter and I walk through the entire book most nights when I tell her how much I love her.
Perspective on gender/ race/ culture/ economic/ ability: The book does not focus on race, class, and ethnic boundaries, but rather is the tale of two bunnies, which allows the story to reach across all of those boundaries.
Scripture: 1. Ephesians 3:18-19, Psalm 127:3
Theology: This book is a beautiful description of both God and Christ’s love for humankind and it touches on the fact that people can not earn God or Christ’s love, but rather are given it freely because they are God’s children. The pictures in the book physically show how “deep” and “wide” the love of God/ Christ truly is. This book would be a useful tool when discussing Easter and the love of Christ with children. (It may also be useful to use with parents to show how a child should be loved.
Faith Talk Questions:
1. Is there a person or animal that you love more than anything else is the world? Why do you love them so much?
2. Have you ever tried to show that person or animal how much you love them? How?
3. Now, how much do you think God loves you? Can you show me with your hands, your feet, or your arms? How does God show love to you?
Review prepared by Ashley Cheeck, MDiv/MACE, Entering cohort Fall 2007
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