An alligator parent counts the ways in which the little alligator is loved--""right side up"" and ""upside down,"" ""chocolate cheeks"" and ""muddy feet""--from one to more than the highest number to which they could count. Buoyant illustrations show loving situations in this cheerful, if unoriginal, addition to the ""I love you"" genre. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

A crocodile parent uses her child's digits to count the ways she loves him in this beautiful rhyming tribute: "How do I love you, little one? / Let me count the ways. . . . / One in sunshine; / Two in snow; / Three on rainy days." Mom loves everything about her child: from his grins, antics and messes, to the activities they do together, at all times of the day and through all the seasons. Reaching 20, she tells him that 20 is not enough: "For if I started counting now / until forevermore, as big as that / last number was, I'd love you / plus one more." The numbers are sometimes shoehorned into the rhymes, lessening its power as a counting book, but the sweetness overpowers this flaw. McCue's illustrations positively sing with the love and the joy the two bring to each other's lives. The pages are a riot of color, with vibrantly patterned borders surrounding the adorable duo. The illustrations and text suit either gender of both parent and child, making this suitable for any combination. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

PreS-Gr 1-The crocodile that responds to the title question counts more than 20 ways and reasons for loving its child. Through all seasons and numerous shared activities, the parent enumerates how love stretches from the child's chocolate cheeks to muddy feet. Whether romping through waves or counting stars, the large and small crocodiles obviously enjoy one another's company. The perky reptiles exude plenty of personality, and the bouncy rhymes are reinforced by McCue's brightly colored illustrations. The page layouts, including effective spreads, facilitate group sharing. Because the numbers relate to concepts, not objects, the book doesn't offer much counting practice. However, the overriding theme of parental delight and unconditional love shines through the pages, making the book a solid choice for most collections.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

With a tip of the hat to Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Kimmelman (Hanukkah Lights, Hanukkah Nights) and McCue (The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy) enumerate from one to 20 ("plus one more") all the things a grown-up alligator loves about its offspring (neither one's gender is specified). "Seven I love your chocolate cheeks," says the big gator while scrubbing the little one in a bubble bath. "And eight your muddy feet-/ your squishy, squashy, messy ways/ your face, so tasty sweet." As McCue depicts the genial, emerald-green duo in a wide range of cozily familiar parent-child vignettes (splashing in puddles, hanging artwork on the wall, jumping in the leaves), the text incorporates bright color-coordinated versions of the numbers in both their written and numeral forms to help readers track the loving litany. The artist inventively solves one would-be dilemma, for "Twelve I'll love you when you're grown;/ Thirteen I love you small," by depicting the little critter in a funhouse mirror on opposite sides of a spread, one reflection enlarged, and one reduced. Kimmelman's versifying is economic, energetic and admirably varied (some numbers get their own stanza, while others come in groups of twos or threes). This bouncy, sweet love note from parent to child makes an excellent candidate for repeated readings. Ages 3-6. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved