I Love You (Nearly Always)

Anna Llenas was born in Barcelona. She graduated in Advertising and Public Relations from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, with a diploma in Graphic Design by The Escola de la Llotya and a postgraduate degree in Creative Illustration from the Escola Eina. She has developed graphic projects for clients as diverse as La Vanguardia (the Spanish daily newspaper), Nestlé and the Government of Catalonia. She has collaborated with other authors as an illustrator. Anna Llenas was born in Barcelona. She graduated in Advertising and Public Relations from the Autonomous University of Barcelona, with a diploma in Graphic Design by The Escola de la Llotya and a postgraduate degree in Creative Illustration from the Escola Eina. She has developed graphic projects for clients as diverse as La Vanguardia (the Spanish daily newspaper), Nestlé and the Government of Catalonia. She has collaborated with other authors as an illustrator.

The expression "opposites attract" is much used to describe relationships, and I can't think of a better summary for the subject matter of Llenas's new book I Love You (Nearly Always), published by Templar.

This is a funny and engaging read that encourages younger children to think about emotions (I can think of many adults who might benefit from this too). Anna Llenas uses a wide range of illustrative techniques to make reading the book a much more active experience - there are pop-up pictures, pull/lift-the-flaps and other little surprises, such as an actual tiny book of complaints to read, that little fingers will love. The architecture of the book is clever and, boy, is it BIG - even including a mini-scene with real bunting and string. I was amazed at the amount of work that went into this, and the young children I shared it with couldn't stop playing with the pages.
As with most stories aimed at children, I Love You (Nearly Always) has a message, a moral. However, no one likes being lectured to, and in this story, we're not. We're seeing that, while being different can cause arguments, it can also bring enrichment into our lives. And also - it's OK to argue sometimes! To suggest that life should always be peaceful is untrue - it's the making-up that matters.
Llenas's almost frenetic artwork suit this subject matter perfectly, especially when Roly and Rita are at war with one another; the dark, almost violent crayon lines express anger and movement exceptionally well. The entire book feels full of life and fun and will be appreciated by any child who picks this up. Childtastic Books