cover image Te Amo, Bebe, Little One

Te Amo, Bebe, Little One

Lisa Wheeler. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $15.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-316-61410-8

A loving depiction of a child's first year of life, Te Amo Bebe, Little One by Lisa Wheeler, illus. by Maribel Suarez, incorporates a scattering of Spanish language and Mexican influence. Cheery watercolor scenes of mother and child at the beach, at the country fair listening as mariachis play or in a rocking chair on a tropical winter night (""beneath la luna, smiling bright"") accompany an affectionate refrain (the third line changes to fit the scene): ""I love you once. I love you twice./ I love your more than beans and rice./ I love you more than rain or sun,/ Te amo bebe, little one.""