Love by Matt de la Pena, Illustrated by Loren Long

 A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Pena, M. (2019). Love. Solon, OH: Findaway World, LLC.

B. PLOT SUMMARY

Love is a picture book written by Matt de la Pena and illustrated by Loren Long. The book depicts a series of different characters all finding and discovering love in different places. The story takes place in a large city - most likely New York - and revolves around characters from all walks of life learning what it means to love. Even in the darkest of times, and no matter who you are or where you come from, love can be found anywhere. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

While Love does not focus specifically on the Latinx experience, Pena and Long do a wonderful job of showing the reader that love comes in all shapes and forms. We see characters finding love living in immaculate houses, as well as characters living in apartments and trailers. It is clear that the author wanted his reader to understand that love is not something just for a particular group or culture, but that it is something that can be found anywhere. Pena and Long chose not to focus on one specific character to tell this story, and instead showed many different characters from a variety of backgrounds. The artwork depicts white, African American, Hispanic, and Asian American children and the unique circumstances through which they receive love. 

Some of the scenes depict scary or sad situations. In one scene, we see two parents in the middle of an argument with a young boy hiding underneath a piano. We are meant to see that, despite a difficult situation, there is still love evident in this house, with the boy's dog pressed up against him as he hides. Additionally, we see a scary dream sequence with a young girl afraid that she will not be able to find love in her life as well, before being awoken in the arms of her mother. So despite the fact that this book does not specifically focus on the Latinx experience, the reader still comes away with the understanding that this country is a melting pot, where all people, regardless of what they look like or where they come from, deserve love. A final scene shows several people walking in the rain with different colored umbrellas. We understand that each of these people, all of whom are here for different reasons, have their own unique stories, and the love they have and share with others is significant. 

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS

"Everything that can be called love -- from shared joy to comfort in the darkness -- is gathered in the pages of this reassuring, refreshingly honest picture book."
--The New York Times Book Review, Editors' Choice / Staff Picks From the Book Review

“Lyrical and sensitive, ‘Love’ is the sort of book likely to leave readers of all ages a little tremulous, and brimming with feeling.”
--The Wall Street Journal

“Newbery Award–winning De la Peña offers a lyrical ode to love in this stirring picture book. . . . In De la Peña’s lines, love becomes not just an emotion between people but a feeling suffusing the world.”
--Booklist 

E. CONNECTIONS

Readers who enjoyed this book might also enjoy: 

Crimi, Carolyn. There might be lobsters. (Illus. by L. Monk). ISBN 0763675423.

Doerrfeld, Cori. The rabbit listened. ISBN 073522935X.

Pena, Matt de la. Carmela full of wishes. ISBN 9780399549045.