My Heart by Katrina McKelvey. Illus. by Deb Hudson

A mum speaks to her baby as it develops within her. And her heart glows when she finds she is pregnant. When the child is born, her heart melts. And on it goes. A similar double page stays with the book till the last page. On the left hand page is a warm image of a mum and her child, showing the child at another stage of its life. A sentence gives a clue as to what stage the child is going through, then on the right hand side gives a line about how the mother’s heart feels. Her heart smiles as she gives her baby a bath, her heart giggles when baby makes a mess. Many milestones are shown as the book progresses. Her heart leaps when the child takes its first steps. Learning to swim makes her heart gasp at the child’s first attempts but then she grins as it masters the skill. But all is not positive, as the child falls off its bicycle, giving rise to the mother’s heart aching. Her heart beams as she sees her baby grow up and make friends. The relationship between a mother and her child is shown with all of its love and care, from birth to school. Each stage of its life reveals how much the mother cares for her child and the different ways her heart feels as the child progresses.

Charming colourful illustrations accompany the text, showcasing the strong relationship between the mother and her child.

Themes: Mother, Love, Development.

Fran Knight