This story exemplifies the authors insights into the human spirit while her beautiful illustrations will touch children and are sure to be cherished for generations to come. Taking the reader on a journey of memory and expectation, this book showcases the fleeting little moments that reveal how a child changes and grows.

How many times have watched your little one play from across the room, or felt their tiny arms around your neck, and thought, I wish I could keep them at this age forever? If I Could Keep You Little tells of these little moments a parent captures in their heart as their child grows. The heart of the poem is that every day of a child's life is precious, as they discover and grow. Although a parent may sometimes long for the days when their child was teeny tiny, they are even more excited to see who they are becoming. "If I could keep you little, I'd kiss your cuts and scrapes. But then I'd miss you learning from your own mistakes." The illustrations are soft watercolors depicting rosy-cheeked children and their proud parents, while the font is entertaining and fun, changing size, style, and color to add emphasis to the words.

This beautiful poem is guaranteed to bring a smile to any parent's face, as the recognition of some universal 'parent moments' are called out: kissing boo boos, helping them match clothing, cutting bread into shapes, reading stories, and more. This is the perfect story to snuggle with and share before bedtime or on days they need a little extra love. You are encouraged to take the lead on sharing moments from your child's life where you fell in love with them all over again and wanted to keep them in that moment forever. Just like the children in the book are growing up and coming into their own, how has your child shown you that letting them grow up is as wonderful as having them be little?

I gave this book to my friend to read to her son Sam. She said she read it with Sam one spring afternoon before a nap, and he was particularly calm and cuddly. She loved the wonderful memories of Sam's childhood that the book helped her remember, and she shared some of them with him after the story. She was in the middle of telling him about the day she brought him home from the hospital when he fell asleep on her lap. My friend said she kept Sam on her lap nearly 20 minutes before putting him to bed, just enjoying the precious snuggle time.

--Audra