I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I Love You All the Time by Deborah Farmer Kris Published by Free Spirit on February 22, 2022
Genres: Children's, JUVENILE FICTION, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance
Pages: 32
Format: eBook
I Love You All the Time speaks to the power of caregivers’ steady love to help children develop confidence, resilience, and emotional agility with words of affirmation for kids.
Parents and teachers want strategies for helping preschoolers manage their emotions. But to effectively teach emotional self-regulation strategies, children first need to know they are safe and loved—all the time. Even when they lose their temper, even when they stay up too late, or lose their shoes, or yell at their friend. The steady love of a caregiver can help children thrive, even when life is challenging.
Written from the perspective of a caring adult speaking to a child, I Love You All the Time strengthens relationships by addressing the common childhood fear: Am I loved all the time? Its charming rhyme, words of affirmation for kids, and heartwarming message make the book perfect for storytime, home, the preschool classroom, and whenever children need a reminder that they’re loved.
NEW SERIES!
All the Time Series
Charming books that focus on affirmation and emotional support using the phrase “All the Time”
Written from the perspective of an adult speaking to a child, these rhyming books help young children know that they are deserving of love through life’s ups and downs. This encouraging series shows them all the ways they’re supported as they continue to grow and learn.
“I Love You All the Time helps parents and caregivers communicate the one message children most need to hear: that they are loved unconditionally. Playful rhymes, engaging illustrations, and a wise ‘Letter to Caregivers’ make this book a gift to children and adults alike. I could not recommend it more.” —Lisa Damour, Ph.D., author of Untangled and Under Pressure
Deborah’s article in The Washington Post, “The Power of Awe,” was dubbed the #1 “Best Parenting Advice,” by The Week. The article highlights the emotional and psychological benefits of those pure and awesome striking moments for children.
Julie’s Review:
This is a sweet book to remind kids that no matter what, their families love them. When they play. When they lose the game and when they win. Even when they make messes.
It is told in sweet rhymes and is beautifully illustrated with diverse characters. I loved all the details, especially in the scenes of play. This book is a wonderful way to help reassure children that they are loved no matter what, throughout the ups and downs of life.
I Love You All The Time is a great book to read in February with kids – both for Valentine’s Day and Black History Month. It even comes with parenting tips in a letter to caregivers for helping children feel loved and loveable.
Author Q&A:
Where did you grow up /live now?
I grew up in Utah, moved to Boston for college, spent a few years in New Jersey and Texas, and am now happily settled back in New England.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a geologist, anthropologist, social worker, bookstore owner, journalist, and teacher. And I became the last two!
What is your education/career background?
I spent 23 years in schools in nearly every capacity: elementary teacher, middle school teacher, high school teacher, administrator, and in-house parent educator. I love the energy of being around kids of all ages. It also helps me with my other career: education journalism and parent education. I am a parenting columnist PBS KIDS and write about child development for MindShift (an NPR education blog) and other national publications. And I recently founded www.parenthood365.com to share simple practical wisdom with parents.
Do you have kids and/or pets?
I have two elementary-aged children and a fluffy pup named Cupid (a bundle of love who lives up to his name).
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Or what first inspired you to write?
My mom was a writer and I grew up in a house full of books and weekly library trips. So that helped! In high school, I became editor of the newspaper, and I loved the rush of deadlines, the audience engagement (even the occasional controversy), and seeing my name in print. It was an amazing thing, as a 16-year-old, to discover that I had a voice.
Where/When do you best like to write?
My first drafts almost always come to me while I’m out walking. I write whole articles during my morning walks.I’m also a coffee shop writer. I love the feel of sitting in a local store with a cup of tea and the ding of customers coming in and out. And at night, I often sit on my kids’ beds and write as they fall asleep – and then keep writing! There’s something so peaceful and magical about sitting in a quiet room with a sleeping child and putting words on a page.
What inspired your story?
In my “Note to Caregivers” at the back of “I Love You All the Time,” I share this story.
When my oldest was three years old, she had one of those epic tantrums – you know, the kind where kids’ bones become jelly and they melt to the floor, kicking and screaming. I carried her over to our old rocking chair, and as we snuggled, I told her, “You know, I really love you when you are mad.” She stopped squirming and looked at me, startled.
I continued, “I also love you when you are happy, and I love you when you are sad, and I love you when you are scared. I love you all the time.” Her body began to settle, and a new ritual was born. Every night before bed, I remind my children — no matter the ups and downs of the day – that I love them all the time.
Is there a message/theme in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Here’s what I want parents to know about the whole “All the Time” series. Just as Daniel Tiger is really a parenting show dressed up as kids’ programming (that’s my take, at least!), my books are aimed as much at caregivers as they are at young children.
As an education journalist, it’s my job to read all those new-release parenting books – but most parents just don’t have time for that! So I took a bunch of my research on resilience, emotional literacy, curiosity, and healthy development and turned them into four read-aloud books for the Pre-K set: “I Love You All the Time” and “You Have Feelings All The Time” (February 2022) “You Wonder All The Time” (July 2022) and “You Are Growing All the Time” (Fall 2022)
As parents read these to their young children, I hope it will offer them with some simple ways to support their children’s emotional and cognitive development.
On a Friday night, what are you most likely to be doing?
Friday night is Family Movie Night! Now if I could figure out how to get my kids to peacefully agree to the same movie . . .
About the Author and Illustrator
Deborah Farmer Kris is a child development expert and parent educator. She serves as a columnist and consultant for PBS
KIDS, and she writes for NPR’s MindShift and other national publications. Over the course of her career, Deborah has taught almost every grade K–12, served as a school administrator, directed leadership institutes, and presented to hundreds of parents and educators around the United States. Deborah lives near Boston, Massachusetts.
Jennifer Zivoin has illustrated more than forty children’s books, including New York Times best seller Something Happened in Our Town, and her art has appeared in children’s magazines, including High Five and Clubhouse Jr. She lives in Indiana.
