More Than Balloons

Written by Lorna Crozier · Illustrated by Rachelle Anne Miller

Discover the boundless love that surpasses all others.

6.3/7 Bookroo experts·3.9/5 Goodreads · 95 ratings

26 pages

$9.95Save 4%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Explore a world where balloons adore the moon and tubas cherish tunes, yet nothing compares to the love we hold for you. Through playful rhymes and enchanting illustrations, this tale introduces little ones to the profound concept of love, inviting them to see its beauty and depth in everyday wonders. What makes love so extraordinary? Dive into this whimsical journey to find out.

From the publisher

Balloons love the moon, and a tuba loves a tune, but these don’t compare to the love we have for you. Award-winning poet Lorna Crozier uses evocative rhyme, complemented by Rachelle Anne Miller’s whimsical imagery, to provide babies and toddlers with common concepts that explain just how great love is.

At a glance

Format
Pages: 26
Reading age: 0–3
Audience: Board
Lexile: AD190L

Themes & topics

Books about babies Books about parents Books about valentines Books about love Books about family

The Bookroo review

What our editors thought of More Than Balloons

How many original perfect rhymes are there for “balloon”? With lines like “More than the longest day loves June” and “More than a tuba loves a tune,” Crozier shows enough to make a unique addition to the crowded “how much I love you” category of children’s literature. Her various iterations of love are mostly intuitive, though why balloons love the moon in her line “More than balloons love the moon” is a little unclear. (Is it because they float into the sky?) Even where the logic is a stretch, Miller’s wistful illustrations distract readers from pondering such issues; in this instance, a dreamy bundle of balloons in company with a few stuffed-animal type friends float through a charming starry night, subconsciously convincing readers that balloons do in fact love the moon. Wispy lines on every page keep readers moving through the soft story, while the pink skewed color palette give it a sentimental feel. The inclusion of a Halloween page tempts you to put the book on the fall reading list, but doing so would be misplacing it, as other pages treat various seasons of the year, though not necessarily in chronological order. Creative rhyming and beautiful, busy illustrations make this story highly re-readable.

The verdict

“Delightfully wistful, re-readable title in the crowded expressions-of-love category.”

Bookroo Editorial

Reviewed November 2019

6.3/7

Good to know

Stories behind the story

Rachelle, we love your illustrations in More Than Balloons. Can you tell us how you went about creating them?

The beautiful writings by Lorna Crozier lend themselves easily to some sweet imagery! I usually start my process with some rough conceptual sketches which are reviewed by the publisher. Once all ideas are approved, I go ahead and develop the full illustrations. We discussed beforehand with the publisher that we wanted the characters to be animals.

What readers & critics say

Reviews

6.3

out of 7

6.8

“Such a lovely book! The words in this story are sweet and provide a lot of fun interaction opportunities with littles. The illustrations are fun, colorful and cute! I also think the quality of More Than Balloons is really great--the pages are nice and glossy! Most of all, I love the subject of the book ("I love you more than...").”

B is for Bookworm

Trusted reviewer

5.5

“This charming story of the boundless love of a parent for a child makes for ideal bedtime reading. The creative rhymes and consistent meter are remarkable, as are the many details for spying and identifying on each page. There is a great variety of animals rendered in a warm palette of colors participating in a wide range of experiences throughout the seasons of the year. Plenty to discuss, and even use as a springboard for your own adventures.”

Grammy

Trusted reviewer

6.8

“This board book has it all—cute illustrations, clever language, and a heart-warming message. In some ways, it's your typical "I love you more than" book, but Lorna Crozier found a way to rise above the crowd and create a truly spectacular book. One you'll love reading again and again.”

Mr. Staccato

Trusted reviewer

6.5

“Truly such a sweet and lovely book. Love the rhymes, love the message, love the adorable illustrations (espcially the hedgehog character!) and I can read it over and over and over again, which is always a major win.”

Marmee

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one