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by Julie Baer In Love Me Later, Julie Baer has created an art book for children. Though its main purpose is a picture book story about an afternoon in the life of a little boy, it is Baer's unique illustrations that mark the book as extraordinary. They are intricate cut-paper collages with hand-painted details. Most of us are familiar with collage we did in school, usually designs or perhaps a tree or a flower. Baer has used cut-paper like mosaics, creating consistent portraits of Abe, the focus of this book. There is even an elaborate backyard picture with not only flowers but also bricks, clothing patterns, and porch rails. Also, hidden among these illustrations are a number of birds, flowers, butterflies, insects, animals, and objects. Baer lists them in the back of the book so that young readers can explore the pictures more closely and find them like in Where's Waldo? books. The story itself, captured in hand lettering not typeface, in Love Me Later is really a glimpse into an afternoon of play in Abe's backyard. "Love me later" is what he says whenever he thinks his parents want to give him a hug and off he scampers away to explore the wide world around him. There is no lesson to be learned here, no adventure, no storyline, except Abe's joy at being alive. The book is rich with Abe's important memories and observations of his family. His rush toward his parents with reports of what he's discovered and his equally eager escape from them is very typical of young independence that will keep repeating through many life stages. Readers experience Abe's rush around his yard and his moving in and out of his home, touching base with the people and things he loves most. One other unique aspect to Love Me Later is that it is written about a Jewish family. There are few books for children about Jewish life, other than books about Jewish holidays like Hanukkah or Passover. Love Me Later offers readers a glimpse into one afternoon in the life of a Jewish family and shows how Abe has already begun to incorporate some of his family's traditions like touching the mezuzah, a little box containing scripture, on the door sill before he enters his house. I thoroughly enjoyed Love Me Later and look forward to other books by Julie Baer. |
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Love Me Later