Oh, So Many Kisses! product reviews

There are many different types of picture books around. Some are exciting, some are sweet, and some, like 'Oh, so many kisses' are just made for snuggling up at the end of the day. We always incorporate reading into our bedtime routine, so I was really excited to receive a copy of this book to review.

Firstly, the subject matter is perfect for a wide range of ages. My daughter is at an age where she loves both receiving and giving kisses to everyone and everything which she loves, so the concepts were really easy for her to grasp. During the course of the book, I really saw her empathise and respond to the words and characters, being able to understand what was happening, as she did that too. However, I can also see this book working for older pre-schoolers and school aged children, as the concepts are universally relevant. The words are perfect for winding down at the end of the day, making you feel warm and cosy, and perfectly safe (yes, even me!). The fonts are really easy to read, and there aren't too many words, meaning that the pictures aren't overpowered by too much text.

As usual when you have illustrations by Jenny Cooper, the visuals in this book complement the words beautifully. They also go a stage further than this- demonstrating a wide range of people and animals, and proving that kisses are truly a universal concept. In a world where it can seem that we are all so different, the visual of having something which unites us leaves us with a really powerful message. It was certainly something which my daughter responded to, and was really happy to discuss with me. Introducing this concept of inclusivity and love at this early age has to be a good thing.

Once again, Scholastic have produced a very special book. Combining beautiful words, gorgeous illustrations and simple but universal concepts ensures that this book will be loved by the whole family for generations to come. Relevant for everyone, this would be a great present, or a fantastic treat for the family to enjoy. If you (or your loved ones) love reading and love kisses, you will not be disappointed.

Reading is a passion in this household and I am not embarrassed to say that our bookcases are full to the point of overflowing. I read to my children at least once a day and they all have their special favourite books. I am constantly getting new books to read together and when I saw KIWIreviews had a couple of new picture books to review I was keen. 'Oh, So Many Kisses instantly grabbed my attention as it looked like a perfect bedtime story. Thankfully I received a copy and was very excited.

When the children and I were all snuggled up ready to read we noticed the cover was peaceful looking, from the soft blue background with hearts floating around, to the beautiful picture of a young girl kissing a sleeping baby. Upon opening the book and starting to read, we were all amazed at how stunning the illustrations are, they are very realistic and the details are impeccable. My two year old loved pointing all the babies out to me.

My daughter was thrilled that the book wasn't only humans kissing, but included animals and said her favourite picture was of the cats (she is cat obsessed.) The story flowed nicely with a rhyming pattern describing different types of kisses which we enjoyed. The children were surprised how many different kisses the author managed to think of, and this set off their brains trying to think of more kinds, this resulted in us bursting into a fit of giggles at some of their wacky suggestions.

We all enjoyed this book and it has been added to our favourite bedtime stories. The illustrations are softly coloured, not too vibrant which I believe is important for young children before bed. I have already recommended this book to a few friends with young children and they have been suitably impressed by it too. After reading this book I am intrigued to see what other books the author and illustrator have created. I highly recommend this book to all families with young children, it would make a special gift.