60. A Thousand Years

60. A Thousand Years. Christina Perri. Illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz. 2025. 32 pages. [Source: Library] [picture books, 3 stars]

First sentence: The day we met,
frozen, I held my breath,
Right from the start,
I knew that I'd found a home for my heart.
Time stands still.
How to be brave
when I'm so afraid that you might fall?
But watching you stand alone,
all of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow.

Premise/plot: Christina Perri's lyrics to A Thousand Years have been adapted--shifted--to fit a parent's love for a child. It isn't just the lyrics or modified lyrics. The narrative fits for a family situation. Throughout the picture book, a mother's love for her daughter is evident.

My thoughts: I like the idea of this one more than I actually like it. However, I do think it is lovely enough for what it is. There will always be publishing space for sentimental, sweet, precious books celebrating a parent's unconditional love for a child. Always and forever there will be books published about this special type of familial bond.

 

© 2025 Becky Laney of Young Readers