Love

Inspired by the biblical passage 1 Corinthians 13:4–8 (“Love is patient, love is kind...”), often read at wedding ceremonies, the team behind Love Is Forever returns to showcase a sweet family of anthropomorphic owls. Instead of focusing on romantic love, though, Rislov employs the lens of familial and communal affection: “Love bears all hardships,” reads one mellow-colored spread, which shows two owlets at a funeral as forest animals gather around a portrait of an older owl. Balsaitis’s soft illustrations have a cozy, emotive feel: “Love believes the best for all,” another spread reads, as three owls work together in a thriving garden, the smallest of them endearingly wielding a small watering can. A series of love-centered adages serve as an affirming read from guardians to their young loved ones. Ages up to 3. (Self-published)