Guess How Much I Love You: Hidden Treasure

PreS-Gr 2—Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram's modern storybook classic, Guess How Much I Love You (Candlewick, 1995), is brought to animated life through seven brand-new cheery adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare and his doting dad, Big Nutbrown Hare. In each episode, an unseen female narrator establishes the setting and story, but the tales are then told through the conversations and interactions among the woodland animals residing in the Nutbrown Hares' meadow. Most of the characters are voiced with squeaky adorableness. The stories light-handedly teach life lessons, touching on issues of empathy, honesty, perseverance, and friendship. For example, the titular segment is about finding what is special in seemingly ordinary things, and each story concludes with Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare playing a brief game of "Guess How Much I Love You." The sweet and openly affectionate relationship between father and son is both refreshing and heartwarming. This wonderful production retains the dignity and emotion of the original beloved work. Parents can feel good about sharing this charming animated series with their young children.—Jennifer Verbrugge, Dakota County Library, MN