Dallas Public Library Home Page |
|
Dallas Public Library Home Page |
|
Dear Sam Bratney,
When I was little, all my parents did was read, read, and read. When I wasn’t taking my nap, my mom would read to me. Through the window of reading, my imagination expanded greatly. My parents aere always finding a way to express their love for me, and they found that by reading me, Guess How Much I Love You.
When my mother read it to me, she would take me into her lap and show me the pictures. I couldn’t read it to myself yet, but I clearly knew that Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare loved each other very much. That got me thinking, how much does my mother love me? Soon, I started approaching my mother once in a while asking how much she loved me. I would say, “I love you,” then she would say, “But I love you more.” Later we would argue who loved whom more. Little Nutbrown Hare is a very strong character and can relate to me. He was always curious and wondering about things. On the other hand, Big Nutbrown Hare displays a great affection and a strong symbol of parenthood. The pictures throughout the book filled my heart full of warmth and happiness.
Today, in the view of a teen, every time I re-read the book, it reminds me deeply of my mother and how she read this book many times. We argue and yell at each other and she makes me frustrated. When we have an argument, I wish I was never born and could die that second. Every time that happens, your book pops in my head and reminds me of all the fun memories we’ve cherished. When I re-read the book, I smile gently in the end when Big Nutbrown Hare says, “I love you right up to the moon ---and back.” It makes me really sit down and think. I know my mother only yells at me because she wants me to do the right thing. That’s why she’s my mother. She’s there to help through troubled times, there to tell me that she loves me, and I know she’ll love me forever.
In only a few words and pictures, this book has expressed a lesson about love and family. It’s taught me to be patient and showed me that family plays an important role in my life and in society. A big problem today in society is teens not getting along with their parents. Many of them ruin their lives by running away from home or doing drugs. It all starts from their childhoods. Parents are a great influence and every child needs love from them.
Sincerely,
Annie Chang
© The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress. (Used by permission.)
2006 Letters About Literature Winners
Texas Center for the Book
Dallas Public Library HomePage
Web Catalog | Databases | Bestsellers
Library Locations | Events | Explore the Internet | Local Info
