If I Could Keep You Little… is a wonderful new picture book from Marianne Richmond, known for her precious books depicting different stages of life. Done in watercolors, each page represents the things we would do to keep our kids little, followed by what we’d miss if they never grew up.
If I could keep you little,
I’d tell you stories every night.But then I’d miss you reading
the words you’ve learned by sight.
As the mother of a 7 year old and about to be 4 year old, this book really hit home. 4 is a rough age – he so wants to be big like his brother but still wants to hold my hand. My attempts to help him get his shoes on so we can get out of the house faster are rebuked, and he’ll even reopen and then close the Velcro if I do it for him. My 7 year old is the one reading on his own, riding his bike all around the neighborhood and making his own friends. He still likes a good cuddle now and then but is usually too busy for mom.
Watching our kids grow up is bittersweet and If I Could Keep You Little… represents the tug parents feel as their kids grow. The soft illustrations accurately depict the emotions we feel and the prose makes for a fun read aloud. I don’t hold on to a lot of books but this is one I see keeping to read to my grandkids some day.
Nancy would love to keep her kids little but then wouldn’t have those grandkids some day. She blogs about her 2 boys and life in Colorado at Life With My Boys.
Would love to have this book. It reminds me of “Love you Forever”, which still makes me teary. Thanks.