No Matter What :: Education by Design Store

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too

2008-10-01
As Small puts it, "I'm grim and grumpy, and I don't think you love me at all."

So begins the story of a small fox, who while feeling grim and grumpy attempts to push the limits as to how far Large's love will go.

Large's love is boundless, though, whether Small would be a grumpy grizzly bear, a squishy bug, or a crocodile. Large's love won't wear out, and with time together it can even be fixed.

The glorious illustrations are what make this the perfect bedtime story, and young children will delight in knowing that a parent's love will always be there - no matter what.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Very cute book

2008-06-19
I got this book for my 9 months old boy. We love the illustration and color. Very cute children's book.

Love this book!

2008-01-23
My daughter received this book from her Nana when she was about 14 months old. It's one that, happily, I was able to recite by heart soon after. We read the book almost every night for about a year. And then we read it at least once/week for the next 2 years. When her brother was born, we started reading it to him. It is one of his very most favorites also. He knows if I accidentally skip a page or if I say something the wrong way. The other preschool book of Ms Gliori's that we love (and have loved) is Polar Bolero. My son LOVES that he can see a Little Small in Polar Bolero. Ms Gliori's illustrations are just wonderful.

My daughter was extra thrilled when we discovered that Ms Gliori has also written chapter books! We're anxiously awaiting to start the last book in the series - Pure Dead Frozen.

We are BIG GIANT FANS of Ms Gliori!

Great for Nonconventional families!

2008-01-11
We read this book all the time (in the top 3) to our 15-month-old daughter, even though we do have a conventional family. But I wanted to write this review so other people will know that it is a perfect child's book for a non-conventional family.
There is no gender reference to Small. There is no gender reference to Large. There is not even a reference of Large being a parent. There is no reference to any other family member. This would be fabulous for single parents or for guardians who are not "mom" or "dad".

Warm Story, family favorite

2007-12-15
We've had this book for a few years...my children (no 7 and 6) enjoyed this book during their preschool years. The illustrations are wonderful but most of all, the story sends a message of unconditional love. This booked really helped to solidify the message that no matter how much my children were misbehaving, I always loved them and no matter where I was, I always loved them. I highly recommend this book (as I do almost all the Debi Gliori books I've read!).

The sweetest good-night book I know...

2007-11-18

I’m grim and grumpy,” says Small to Large, “and I don’t think you love me at all.” But nothing could be further from the truth--and Large knows just how to reassure Small in this warm and tender story about a child’s biggest worry and a parent’s endless capacity for love.

A beautiful love story

2007-09-26
I have an 18-year old daughter who left for college this year. I also teach first grade. As I was reading this story to my class yesterday,I thought of how my daughter is represented by the character named "Small" and I represent the character, "Large". It is a beautiful story of unconditional love. Not only appropriate for small children, but a reminder for families with children of all ages.

A mother's love at it's core

2007-09-17
My son enjoys this book almost as much as I do! It just reinforces how much I love him, one last time before bed. Before leaving him with Grandma while I went on a short trip away from him (he was 3), I knelt down to hug him. He asked me if I would cry and I said no, but that I love him so much. He said "I love you Mommy, NO MATTER WHAT!" THEN I cried! He was referring to the end of the book when it says "Even if you're far away, does your love go with you or does it stay?" He always calls out "It stays, It stays!" This is a truly wonderful book with illustrations of a silly fox called "Small" and his mom named "Large," that will keep your child's attention and touch both of your hearts.

No Matter What...

2007-05-07
I originally purchased this book through my son's Scholastic book order. When it got ruined we needed a replacement since it was one of his favorite books. The version we recieved is very different from the one available through the Scholastic market. The text isn't the same. The version i recieved through Amazon is great for a child who has lost a parent or loved one...but not for my purpose. The words changed from "What about when you're far away..." to "What about when you're dead and gone". We have since located the Scholastic version...but be aware of the differences when you purchase this book.

Unconditional Love, no matter what

2006-01-30
This is a very sweet story about a parent's unconditional love for his/her child. One of the things I like most about this story is that the parent could be mom, dad, grandparent, etc. It really fits multiple types of family situations. The story centers around characters named "Large" and "Small". Small is feeling grumpy and is wondering if Large will still love him/her even in adverse circumstances. Small goes through several 'what if' scenarios; 'what if I were a squishy bug', 'what if I were a crocodile', etc. In every scene, Large reassures Small that he/she will always love Small no matter what.

We always make up silly 'what if' scenarios to make each other laugh, so this book was a huge hit in our house!

I gave 4 stars. The illustrations were great, but I would have loved if this were a board book instead of an oversized hardcover. Board books are just more durable and last longer with my wild son!