You Belong to Me

Toddler-PreS—This English translation of a title previously published in Japan attempts to portray a parent's love for a child, but from the start, point of view is problematic. First, several different animals cuddle one at a time with a human child, with accompanying text that reads, "I love you" and "You are my favorite person." Then multiple animals are shown, and the text switches to use the plural "we" ("We'll be there whenever you need us…"), perhaps referencing a family. Then a human adult, presumably the child's mother, says, "I love you most because you belong to me." In the last scene, the child is alone and smiling with a small animal hugging his leg. It's unclear if the animals are supposed to represent different aspects of a parent's or family's love, or if the whole world loves and protects the child. The shifts from singular to plural to the child alone give the story a disjointed feel despite the message of unconditional love. Illustrations appear to be watercolor and pencil, and the large, happy animals cuddling with the toddler are visually appealing.