The award-winning Todd Parr brings his signature bold colors to this cheery title affirming the constancy of a relationship.
When you fall down.
If you get stuck….
If you get a bad haircut.
You will always have me!
The narrator is never specified, making this a book that works as a message from a parent, grandparent, sibling, other relative, or friend. Parr’s colorful characters are engaging and relatable as they encounter obstacles, feel big feelings, and experience joys, all while the narrator expresses unconditional support.
On the page depicting “When you express yourself,” one child has short, purple hair and wears a skirt. I’m therefore tagging the book both “Gender creative boy” and “Nonbinary/genderqueer kid,” since either interpretation seems to work (though the figure could also be read as a short-haired girl as well).
The book is aimed at young children, but the final spreads show a person driving off as others wave goodbye, while the text reads, “And when you go away. Even if you think you don’t need me . . . I’ll always be here,” making this a book that could even be a great gift for a teen or older person heading off to college or to live on their own.
