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Story time builds deep connection with your child. Reading books together builds social, emotional and intellectual awareness. With one book you can introduce vocabulary, shape, color, and moral values. Not only does reading aloud encourage a life long love of reading (and therefore building your super genius child), you are also bonding together, relating to characters in the pages, and finding yourselves on a journey together that knits your hearts close.

Reading books together is a simple and powerful way to deepen your parent-child relationship. Letting your little ones know they are precious and loved can be as simple as a 5 minute picture book.

In no particular order, I present you with 7 powerful picture books will let your child know they are valued and utterly loved.

Jez Alborough’s Hug is probably my favorite almost wordless picture book— and definitely my kids favorite, too. With three little words, the illustrations carry this sweet story straight to your heart. A young chimpanzee sees a mama and baby elephant in a hug, and quickly realizes he wants a hug, too. The elephants help the little chimp look for a hug, finding all sorts of animal hugs. Their quest ends with a dream fulfilled in — you guessed it—a hug. Recommended ages: Baby to 5

Sam McBratney’s Guess How Much I Love You recounts an endearing conversation between Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare about how much they love one another. Tender battles of “I love you more” end with sleeping Little Nutbrown Hare feeling very loved indeed. Illustrated by Anita Jeram. Recommended ages: Baby to 5

Amelia Hepworth’s I Love You to the Moon and Back features a bear-pair day of adventures and ends with a sweet good night. This cuddly parent bear and cub are captured in truly adorable illustrations by Tim Warnes. A simple story combined with flowing rhymes make this a quick read with all the feels. Recommended ages: Baby to 5

Emily Winfield Martin’s The Wonderful Things You Will Be carries a soothing charm in both illustrations and poetry. This beautiful line at the beginning is enough to make me want to read it over and over:
When you were too small to tell me hello,
I knew you were someone I wanted to know.
Written directly to the child, this story encourages the reader to be whoever they want to become. A gentler version of All the Places You’ll Go, it’s a sweet story to help your little one dream of making their mark on the world while knowing you will always be cheering them on. Recommended ages: 2-7

Jolie Canoli’s You Are Wonderful, Marzette is a story of departure and return, ending at the certainty of unconditional love. Marzette learns that her value is not based on her performance the hard way. The villain demonstrates the futility of living to please others. Margherita Grasso’s stunning illustrations transport the reader from despair to delight as Marzette discovers that she is, and always will be, loved. Recommended ages: 3-9

Nancy Tillman’s Wherever you Are, My Love Will Find You. Nearly any Nancy Tillman book is capable of making a parent grab a box of tissues, but this book is probably my favorite. The classical yet surrealist illustrations paint whimsical images of connection. Each spread includes a child playing with an animal followed by a trail of magical light, signifying the love that will follow you on every path you take. This story reminds children that no matter where they find themselves, they can never outrun the love you have for them. Recommended ages: 3 to 9

Max Lucado’s You Are Special. Punchinello is always receiving dots, (similar to dislikes or put downs), and he feels unloved until he meets a God-like character named Eli. Eli tells him that Punchinello is special, and reveals the secret of removing the dots- they don’t stick if they don’t matter to you. A precious reminder to children to bolster themselves against criticism, and remember they are truly special. Recommended ages: 3-9

Quina Aragon’s Love Gave: A Story of God’s Greatest Gift is a Christian book with poignant portrayal of the gospel. Rommel Ruiz’s illustrations portray bondage of our wrongs with a snake-like entanglement that merges onto the cross of Jesus. The message is clear and beautiful— God’s love was so great that he paid the highest price to bring us back to him. Recommended ages: 6-12