At the time of writing this, it was very early on Tuesday 23rd May. I woke up, switched on the news and children were fleeing a concert in Manchester. Children. Parents were on the radio, desperate to find their missing kids. It was, and it still is, unbearably heart breaking. Someone, somewhere, once wrote: “As a child, I never imagined that all the real monsters in the world would be humans”. On days like today, you can’t help but think that they might be right. But then… we still have love. And at least with love we can try to scare the monsters away.
In the tender and heart-warming picture book, Love Is, by Diane Adams and Claire Keane, a duckling gets separated from its family and is discovered by a little girl. For the next year, she takes care of the duckling, experiencing all the highs and lows of being a parent. From those noisy midnight feedings and messy baths to “waking up together, side by side, and beak to nose”. But as you can probably guess, the story plays to the idea that if you love something, set it free. When the time is right, the little girl helps the duckling to leave. And at that point… “Love is missing, reminiscing, wishing things could stay the same”. Happily, the two friends eventually find their way back to each other, discovering that love is… lasting.
With its loose poetic metre and short text, this charming tale lends itself to a gentle bedtime read. Claire’s ink sketches have a beautifully nostalgic feel; brimming with warmth and humour. It’s altogether lovely.
Going back to Diane’s opening lines… “Love is holding something fragile, tiny wings and downy head”. Today, I held my little ones tight to keep the monsters at bay. Then I squeezed them tighter still for all those parent no longer able to hold their little ones close.
Because love is… stronger than hate.
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