5 BOOKS TO TELL YOUR CHILD: ICH LIEBE DICH

Maybe you recently had a second child and your kid is asking you: Mom, do you still love me? A heart-piercing sentence. Maybe you were rushed and stressed, when your child was testing your limits and you were a little harsher than you wanted. Or maybe there is no particular occasion whatsoever. After all, can we tell our children we love them too often? No. (Though I'll freely admit, as a German I probably don't do it as regularly as some Americans). So here are 5 books to say how much you care.

Sam McBratney, Anita Jeram

WEISST DU EIGENTLICH, WIE LIEB ICH DICH HAB?

This short and super cute modern classic - and international bestseller - is a simple story for the little ones until maybe 8 years. The little hare asks the big one: Guess how much I love you? And stretches his arms - sooo much. But the big hare has just as much or more love - and longer arms...

From 2 years and up.

Lorenz Pauli / Kathrin Schärer

DA BIST DU JA!´ß

The Swiss duo Lorenz Pauli - a teacher - and the illustrator Kathrin Schärer always make for great kids' books. This book is a little more abstract, poetic and philosophical (in fact it's protagonists seem to be floating in space), so I'd recommend it for slightly older kids: The smaller one asks how everything began - the older one says, the little one was suddenly there and with it love. But what if I change? Will you love me less? the smaller one wonders. And will it end?

A book to tell your child you love her unconditionally just as she is and always will.

4 years and up

Bettina Wegenast / Julia Kaergel

DIE AUFREGENDSTE SACHE DER WELT

My son, a 3 year old, has a hard time imagining a time before he was born - but he is fascinated by the idea and keeps asking about the time. In fact: it sometimes may seem as if we had tons of adventures before our children were born: amazing travels, big parties, adventures.... But the biggest adventure of all was: to get children.

You may want to use this book as a starting point to tell about your life.

4 years and up

Astrid Desbordes / Pauline Martin

ICH HAB DICH UNENDLICH LIEB...

When going to bed, Max asks his mother: will you always love me? And his mother starts to list all the moments she will love him: when he listens, when he doesn't listen, when he is well and when is isn't, when he is independent and when he needs her help... When she is with him in the moment and when her mind is elsewhere. Good way to tell your child that we love them in the best, but also in not so good moments.

3 years and up.

Jutta Bauer

SCHREIMUTTER

This book is not cute at all- and its topic is not pretty either. Who wants to read to his kid about when we lose it? But it is important. My son actually knows this book from his daycare and loves it so much, he asked for it at home.

One day penguin mother gets so angry with penguin kid, she shouts at him. So much, he goes to pieces, spread all over the world. She doesn't rest, until she has found all and put him together again.

4 years and up.