Familiar Sesame Street characters celebrate the many facets of love in this picture book. The word appears in big, bold letters on each page, along with phrases describing its meaning and impact. Kwiat illustrates in markerlike scribbles, lending a kinetic playtime feeling. Emerging from his garbage can, Oscar the Grouch announces, "I like it messy." On the right page, love appears in drippy, colorful letters: "Love is accepting life even when it is messy!" For Cookie Monster, naturally, love means "cookies... and then more cookies." And for Abby Cadabby, "Love is magical and full of wonder." A final spread shows all of the characters together, pointing to the grand declaration that "Love is everywhere and all around us." Sesame Street fans will have fun recognizing the familiar characters as they make their entrances. Ages 4-7. (Dec.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

The cast of Sesame Street declaims what love means to them.It means something different for each of them, based on their personalities and interests: For example, "Love is infinite" for the Count, cookies for Cookie Monster, "being an everyday hero" for Grover, "building something together" for the Twiddlebugs, "accepting life even when it is messy" for Oscar, and "magical and full of wonder" for Abby Cadabby. Bert and Ernie are pictured with their pigeon and rubber duckie, respectively, and for them, "Love is being kind to all your best friends." Snuffleupagus, Big Bird, and Little Bird say that "Love comes in all shapes and sizes." Other characters include Zoe, Elmo, Rosita, the Honkers, and Julia. Kwiat's illustrations use a scratchy, scribbly style that suits the characters, most of whom are furry or feathered. The word "love" on each page often matches the characters on that page and is capitalized and set in a large font; Oscar's "love" oozes and drips, though in rainbow colors. The final page shows the entire cast: "Love is everywhere and all around us." There's little to engage readers beyond their pre-existing love of the characters, which it doesn't even leverage. For instance, the book's design misses the opportunity for readers to guess what their beloved characters might love most of all, instead just informing them, page after page.Devoted fans of Sesame Street will love to see their favorite characters in a different light: on the page instead of on TV. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Toddler-PreS-A visually appealing read-aloud for toddlers. White, minimal backgrounds frame naive digital illustrations that pop off the page in bright colors. Simple sentences on each spread define "love" through the eyes of different character from Sesame Street. For Big Bird, "Love is a sunny day." The Count says, "Love is infinite-bigger than all of the numbers." However, for Oscar the Grouch, love is about acceptance, even when life is messy. Prior knowledge of the characters is not necessary to appreciate the message. Simple sentences give accurate but conceptually age-appropriate definitions of love. Kids will be drawn to the bold pictures. For teachers, this could easily stand in for both Valentine's Day and lessons about kindness. VERDICT Not a lot of substance here, but a sweet read-aloud toddlers will enjoy.-Richelle Rose, Kenton County Public Library, KY © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.