If You Listen
A young girl asks her mother if her father still loves her when he isn't home. Her mother suggests that if she looks quietly at the world, she will hear his love.
This is a great book for a family where someone travels frequently. Just looking at the illustrations alone is quite soothing.
Even at the end, you're not quite convinced that the young girl accepted her mother's guidance … and the target audience is smart enough to sense that.
S/He never sat through the whole book. We started reading it at different places, but only got in a few pages at a time.
It is a good story, with a wonderful message: a parent's love never goes away, even if they aren't nearby. The illustrations, while beautiful, seem dark for the message.
This more sophisticated tale is for older children dealing with separation anxiety.
The story is excellent in several ways. First, it can reassure kids that their question is normal and that their parents love them, even when they aren't physically present. It's also a good way of introducing or reinforcing the idea of listing to nature.
3.6
7 to 9
3 to 8
Read with child 2½ years old.
Borrow. This is a lovely book, but not one that you'd need to have at your fingertips for lots of readings.
| Title | If You Listen |
| About | |
| Author | Charlotte Zolotow |
| Publisher | Running Press © 2002 |
| Illustrators | Stefano Vitale |
| ISBN | 0762413352 |
| Material | Hard Cover |
| Genres | Family, Fable | Folklore |
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