I Love You the Purplest ebook

by barbara M. Joosse,Mary Whyte

barbara M. Joosse Mary Whyte Growing Up and Facts of Life English

From the bestselling author of Mama, Do You Love Me? comes a moving book that answers the universal question "Who do you love best?" In the spirit of true unconditional parental love, Mama explains that she loves each of her children in their own special way. The jubilant Max she loves the "reddest" and the quiet Julian she loves the "bluest." Together she loves both her boys the "purplest." A celebration of both parental love and of the unique qualities that make every child an individual, the warm illustrations coupled with an eloquent text speak to any child, parent, or sibling.

I love, love, LOVE this book! When we first received it as a gift from a friend it didn't resonate much with me. I read it to my 3 year old daughter once or twice then it sat on her shelf for some time. However, we eventually found ourselves in a position where our family would be expanding (by multiples) rather unexpectedly. I had a hard time with it at first wondering if I would be capable of having so many children. Could I love them equally - especially if they had varying personalities? Would I subconsciously choose a favorite? These thoughts and many more haunted me for a while. But when I would start to get worked up over my anxieties, passages from this book would come to my mind. I tore through my daughter's bookshelf to find it and cried as it gave me the reassurance (and example) I needed in that moment. As cheesy as it sounds, this book held a turning point for me. I'm not longer anxious, I'm excited! And for a few friends who have expressed concerns to me about their similar situations, I have gone straight to Amazon to ship them their own copy of this gem. So grateful to Barbara M. Joosse for her inspiring story!

Celak

Read this to my children when they were small. A very sweet story. Gave it to a young couple with a toddler, who just had another baby. Thought this would be good for them as it's about a mother telling her children how she loves them differently, but equally.

Brajind

I'll admit it. I think this book is a little syrupy. Indeed, if I could give half stars I'd rate it at 3.5 instead of 4 stars. The mother is just too too patient with her ultra-competitive little ones. All they care about is being the best, and yet, she always manages to have the answer which avoids choosing favorites. (Frankly, she sets a standard that's hard to live up to.) Neither son is the best rower - one rows deep, the other rows fast. Neither is the best fisherman - one gets more fish, but the other got the smart fish. And so on.

And yet, despite the fact that I think it's just a tad bit on the sweet side for me, I do like it. This *is* a good way of talking to kids (even only children benefit from being specifically complimented on what they do instead of being generically told they're the "best"), and the message that there's value in everybody's actions (even if they aren't the "best") is a good one for kids to hear.

Vishura

I'm expecting my second child and I got this book to share with both my kids, and to prepare my little girl for a sibling. This is a wonderful book for helping to prevent sibling rivalries and insecurities before they start. My daughter already understands that I will never have a favorite, but I also won't love my children in exactly the same way all the time, and that that's okay. The author writes about this very sensitive topic with care and beauty. My only complaint is that the book's language can be a bit too saccharine and sappy, but I don't imagine that the book's message could have gotten through without some schmaltz. I'm glad to have this book.

Gashakar

I buy this book for all of my friends who have children of the same gender. It’s a great addition to any mother’s library.

Thordibandis

I loved the illustrations and sweet story. I read this book years ago to my children... I have two boys who would ask which one I loved more. My sons are 27 and 25 now and I just bought 2 copies of this book to remind them that they are still my babies and I love each one for their uniqueness.

Jack

This book was a favorite when my boys were little. Now I purchase it for every mom of two boys!!! This book shows how a mom loves each of her boys for the special talents they have. Great for sibling rivalry!

This book exceeded my expectations. It is a very special book to my daughter and I as I used to read it to her every night when she was I child and still tell her all the time "I love you the purplest" and her and I are the only ones who know what that means. I still have the original, but bought a new one because she is now 25 and expecting my first grandchild next month and I know this book will have as much meaning for them as it did for us. So I have a copy here and she has one at her house. The quality is perfect and I received it in a very timely manner.
Thank you!