Norbert is having an especially rough day. “It’s the worst day of my life,” he said. He had to sit by himself on the way to school, sit with Heidi the Hippo at lunch, (she thinks she is Norbert’s girlfriend), and does not get to play baseball with his friends. Norbert is definitely having... more

Norbert is having an especially rough day. “It’s the worst day of my life,” he said. He had to sit by himself on the way to school, sit with Heidi the Hippo at lunch, (she thinks she is Norbert’s girlfriend), and does not get to play baseball with his friends. Norbert is definitely having a bad day. Mom tries to comfort a tearful Norbert but he thinks one of his friends is more deserving of a hug, another of Mom’s cheers and a third is actually someone special while a forth has the exciting future. Mom is trying to comfort Norbert with what the author calls the “5 Blessings.” Norbert’s mom tries to give those to Norbert through her hugs, cheers, a “you’re special” medal, help for a wonderful future and help understanding that he is special in God’s eyes – always. This is a cute way for children and parents to connect and value each other as they read the story. All of us, at some point, shrug off the affirmations we receive just as Norbert does in I’d Choose You. Mr. Trent uses five blessings from the Old Testament in this tale to show how God loves us just the way we are. He explains all of this in the first pages of his book. The illustrations are colorful renditions of wild animals that are cute and help move the story. Children will be delighted when they see Heidi the Hippo who believes she is Norbert’s girlfriend (Norbert denies this), or Puffy the Panda in his suspenders and blue jeans, Ralph the Rhino as he dives into the pool or Florence the Flamingo twirling on the ice, and Norbert, the star, who doesn’t think he deserves what is mother offers him. This is a fun, reader-to-me book, that will help parents and children connect each time they read I’d Choose You together. Note: received from Net Galley, courtesy of the publisher