Love by Matt de la Peña (2018) is a surprise. The cover art and one word title suggest this is another idealistic story about how humans express love. But the hard stuff foreshadowed on page 4, escalates on page 9, and punches you in the gut on pages 11 and 12. After some beginning pages of lovely bliss, we're seeing people on the street because of an apartment fire. An old lady comforts a young girl by saying that the night stars shine with love "long after they've flamed out." Turn the page and the scene hints at domestic violence; a young boy and his dog hide under a piano; a woman covers her face with her hands; a chair and lamp lie on their sides on the floor. Summers flame out, "And friendships. And people." More scenes imply that we live in frightening times. The final pages return us to lighter topics. Then, curiously, this picture book fast forwards to the future, when the young reader leaves home for . . . somewhere. Loved ones will wish you luck. "But it won't be luck you'll leave with. Because you'll have love." Illustrations by Loren Long often fill two pages spreads. They are both soft yet distinctive. This is a book for the 21st century child.
