I Love You, World

A whirlwind tour of the world and its languages, I Love You, World exposes little readers to countries from Austria to Australia, incorporating a refreshing collection of countries and languages rarely given representation in children’s books including Botswana (Setswana) and Greece (Greek). Each page features an endearing illustration of (what we can assume is) a loving parent and child native animal duo from each respective country, along with”I Love You” spelled out in each language with a pronunciation guide. While the concept that our way isn’t the only way of doing or saying things is invaluable, readers may need to brush up on their use of pronunciation guides unless they want their full focus to be on painfully deciphering pronunciations instead of enjoying the atmosphere of peace and coziness that should accompany an “I Love You” book read aloud. The final spread which details the names of both the species and languages previously included satisfies many questions curious readers may have while reading, while simultaneously begging the question why such details have been relegated to an appendix rather than included sooner to create a more comprehensive and fulfilling reading experience.