A Kiss Means I Love You (review)

In rhyming photo-illustrated text, this book introduces young children to the meanings behind various types of body language: "A kiss means I love you, a wave means hello,/ a smile means I'm happy, a tug means let's go!" Many different actions are considered here, from cheering to "shushing" to clapping (cynics may quibble that "a reach" doesn't always mean "let's share"), and the book ends with a yawning segue into bedtime, in which a kiss once again is featured: "A kiss means I love you. I love you . . . good night." The smooth, simple text, solidly kid-centric concepts, and clear, inviting photos make this incredibly useful to parents, teachers, and librarians. Although a few of Futran's photographs could have used better lighting, the thoughtfully composed images, full-bleed extreme close-up shots of an attractive multicultural cast of youngsters, effectively convey the textual concepts. This would be perfect for toddlers and preschoolers who love the photographic books of Margaret Miller but who are ready for a bit more textual meat, it would also be a great choice for families or groups with both babies and somewhat older kids: the littlest ones will love looking at all the faces, while the older ones can imitate and expand upon the body language concepts.