Love is like a tree by Shona Innes

Ill. Irisz Agocs. Big Hug Books series. Five Mile Press, 2015. ISBN 9781760066321
(Ages: 3+) Highly recommended. Shona Innes' wealth of experience working as a Clinical Psychologist caring for children and their families for over twenty-five years, underpins her heart-felt writing in The Big Hug series. In her engaging new book Love is like a Tree, she describes love as a special and growing thing, like a unique magical tree that provides a comfortable, caring and safe nest in its branches. Different expressions of love - love for friends, for sports teams, for family and for grownups are explained in easy to understand terms. Love needs to be nurtured and grows when you show kindness, share and support others.
Hungarian artist Irisz Agocs's soft watercolor paintings, with her charming forest animals, ducks, owls, hedgehogs, rabbits and bears and woodland scenes, showcase the many aspects of loving relationships. The caring creatures, dance, sing and are engaging will delight the reader. The seasons of love are gently shown as the tree's heart shaped leaves surround the characters. Emotions are explained in easy to understand and comforting terms, this is a book just right for all kinds of families to share. These books provide opportunities for families to explore and engage with both the wonderful and difficult times in a family and child's life. Love is like a Tree is a special book just right for families to share, to dip into again and again.
Rhyllis Bignell