What do you think?
Rate this book
Love Waves
How to comfort a young child who misses a special person when he or she is away? A treasured picture book creator has the perfect solution.
Love Waves are what we send to our loved ones until we can be together again. Invisible and strong, they can fly across town or around the world, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that neither time nor space can keep love from finding its target. Combining a wonderfully concrete concept with her cozy pastel illustrations, Rosemary Wells offers an ingenious way to ease the separation anxiety many children feel when parents go to work, or live in separate homes; when close friends or relatives move, or live far away; or whenever a loved one's absence calls for an extra dose of reassurance.
Love Waves are what we send to our loved ones until we can be together again. Invisible and strong, they can fly across town or around the world, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that neither time nor space can keep love from finding its target. Combining a wonderfully concrete concept with her cozy pastel illustrations, Rosemary Wells offers an ingenious way to ease the separation anxiety many children feel when parents go to work, or live in separate homes; when close friends or relatives move, or live far away; or whenever a loved one's absence calls for an extra dose of reassurance.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 13, 2011
2 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Wells
455 books381 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).
Rosemary Wells is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. She often uses animal characters to address real human issues. Some of her most well-known characters are Max & Ruby and Timothy from Timothy Goes To School (both were later adapted into Canadian-animated preschool television series, the former’s airing on Nickelodeon (part of the Nick Jr. block) and the latter’s as part of PBS Kids on PBS).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
October 18, 2018
A sweet picture book that helps little ones name and visualize the "love waves" that a mom or dad (or any other loved one) send each other while they're apart. I love the addition of this term to my and Catherine's vocabulary since we have to be apart on a regular basis. I can simply say I'm sending her love waves on the phone and she knows what I'm feeling.
April 1, 2013
A cute book for kids dealing with separation anxiety (or just sadness when a parent has to leave). My daughter liked tracing each wave with her finger...it helped her make the connection between the parent and child, which we then "practiced" ourselves by blowing kisses and waves and tracing the waves in the air until they got to their intended recipient. Kind of reminds me of The Kissing Hand, though I like that one better...
May 4, 2019
It’s hard when Mom and Dad go off to work. Children miss their parents during the long time they are separated. Did you know that parents send love waves to their children? The love waves can go “around the world, around the sun” and “they can fly a thousand miles or one.”
Beautiful sparkling love waves zip across the page from parents to children, to remind children that their parents love them and are thinking of them.
“Out of my office window, can you hear me sing,
over the noise of the city, the song of the Pirate King?
I send love waves speeding,
flying as fast as birds, catching rides in taxis…
silvery ribbons of words:
‘Daddy is coming. He’s on his way.’”
Beautiful sparkling love waves zip across the page from parents to children, to remind children that their parents love them and are thinking of them.
“Out of my office window, can you hear me sing,
over the noise of the city, the song of the Pirate King?
I send love waves speeding,
flying as fast as birds, catching rides in taxis…
silvery ribbons of words:
‘Daddy is coming. He’s on his way.’”
December 3, 2011
Told as two separate stories, this is about a little bunny whose mother and then father go to work. While at work, the mother and father wonder what the little bunny is doing and then send love waves.
"Around the world, around the sun,
they fly a thousand miles or one.
Nothing stops them on their way.
'I'm coming home!.
the love waves say."
The illustrations show metallic blue love waves going from the mother or father right to the little bunny's window where he/she catches them. This is an excellent book for working parents, or for those who must leave their little one at times. Also a good book for grandparents. I will send love waves to Sophie.
"Around the world, around the sun,
they fly a thousand miles or one.
Nothing stops them on their way.
'I'm coming home!.
the love waves say."
The illustrations show metallic blue love waves going from the mother or father right to the little bunny's window where he/she catches them. This is an excellent book for working parents, or for those who must leave their little one at times. Also a good book for grandparents. I will send love waves to Sophie.
June 15, 2017
I read this to my son and I loved the writing and the concept, but WHY was mom a waitress and dad a businessman on the "highest floor"?? There's a lot of gender inequality in this and kids pick up on that stuff. So from now on, I'll be viewing my kid's books BEFORE I buy them.
I'm in school to be a doctor, so I think it's important that there's more of that in the books my son reads.
I'm in school to be a doctor, so I think it's important that there's more of that in the books my son reads.
March 21, 2017
Why did the mother rabbit have to work as a waitress whilst the father left for his office job in the city? This needless gender inequality destroys what is otherwise a nice concept. Might not read this one to my kids again.
February 22, 2020
Love Waves is a short story composed of two parts. The first part, titled “Mama Goes to Work,” explains what happens when a boy’s mother goes off to work. She is a waitress and while she is serving cookies and tea, she wonders what her dear son is doing. She thinks she recognizes him through the café window, but it is not actually him. She misses her son and decides to send him love waves until she is able to return home and see him. Soon after receiving the love waves, the boy’s mother returns home and they enjoy a moment in each other’s embrace. The second part, titled “Daddy Goes to Work,” the same young boy kisses his father before he leaves for work in the big city. His father works in an office on the top floor of a skyscraper and he thinks about what his son is doing back at home. The father sends love waves out of his window and over the big city. Soon, the father and son have reunited again. That evening, the mother and father explain that wherever they may be, they will send the boy love waves so he may send them back in his dreams.
The overall themes of this book are love and family. The young boy is very close to both of his parents. They have a very strong family bond and demonstrate their love for each other through sending “love waves.”
I liked this book because of the illustrations. The images themselves were quite normal and somewhat reminded me of the TV show Max and Ruby, but the illustrator used blue metallic foil to emphasize the “love waves”. This foil was very helpful in drawing the reader’s eye to the images and highlighting the main theme of sending love.
I would recommend this book because it helps children realize that no matter how far away they may be from their parents, they are always loved. I think this could be a great addition to a school library for younger students. It could serve as a form of encouragement to those who struggle with being away from their parents for the first time in their life.
The overall themes of this book are love and family. The young boy is very close to both of his parents. They have a very strong family bond and demonstrate their love for each other through sending “love waves.”
I liked this book because of the illustrations. The images themselves were quite normal and somewhat reminded me of the TV show Max and Ruby, but the illustrator used blue metallic foil to emphasize the “love waves”. This foil was very helpful in drawing the reader’s eye to the images and highlighting the main theme of sending love.
I would recommend this book because it helps children realize that no matter how far away they may be from their parents, they are always loved. I think this could be a great addition to a school library for younger students. It could serve as a form of encouragement to those who struggle with being away from their parents for the first time in their life.
April 26, 2020
First of all, I love Rosemary Wells' illustrations. Her bunchy little animals (especially the bunnies!!) are the cutest ever! I love the addition of the metallic "love waves" swirling across the pages here. The additional texture makes them fun to trace along.
Divided into two stories, one from the mother's POV, and one from the father's, but each talking to the child left at home. This is a book for separating families, even if it's just as parents go to work for the day.
I can see using this for Valentine's storytimes - how we say I Love You to people far away too. Or for storytimes on travel and moving and distance/separation. More likely, it's one I'd recommend for families on the base I work on. Even though their parents might be travelling for longer than just a day's work, the idea of reaching across the miles is still a good one. And personally, I like this one better than The Kissing Hand.
Divided into two stories, one from the mother's POV, and one from the father's, but each talking to the child left at home. This is a book for separating families, even if it's just as parents go to work for the day.
I can see using this for Valentine's storytimes - how we say I Love You to people far away too. Or for storytimes on travel and moving and distance/separation. More likely, it's one I'd recommend for families on the base I work on. Even though their parents might be travelling for longer than just a day's work, the idea of reaching across the miles is still a good one. And personally, I like this one better than The Kissing Hand.
April 3, 2019
The story is sweet and the illustrations are amazing (they move it from 1 star to 2). Separation anxiety is a real thing and this book is obviously designed to help kids understand it and combat it. I love the idea of sending each other love waves throughout the day. However, I won't be using this in story time or reading it to my own kids/grandkids because it perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes.
There are literally thousands of professions out there Wells could have chosen from for the parents and yet she sticks with outdated cliches. Sigh. The dad is a businessman on the "highest floor" while the mom is schlepping coffee and eclairs as a waitress. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a waitress, it's the juxtaposition that is wrong. For a book published in 2011, Wells should be ashamed of herself! Kids pick up on these kinds of subtle things and it keeps perpetuating the idea that men have big fancy jobs and women serve people. Not recommended.
There are literally thousands of professions out there Wells could have chosen from for the parents and yet she sticks with outdated cliches. Sigh. The dad is a businessman on the "highest floor" while the mom is schlepping coffee and eclairs as a waitress. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being a waitress, it's the juxtaposition that is wrong. For a book published in 2011, Wells should be ashamed of herself! Kids pick up on these kinds of subtle things and it keeps perpetuating the idea that men have big fancy jobs and women serve people. Not recommended.
January 15, 2024
Two parents send "love waves" to their child while they are at work.
This picture introduces the idea of "love waves," which the text defines in the back matter as "the externalized product of affection so vibrant and ample that it cannot be contained by a single heart alone and can, therefore, be shared with a loved one anything through the medium of thought, will, or wish. Similar to radio waves; invisible and capable of being transmitted over great distances and through any obstacle." Basically, someone is sending his/her love across a distance to another, which is portrayed in the illustrations through metallic, cold-stamped lines and swirls, when they are separated.
This story reassures young readers that their caregivers and loved ones continue to think about and care about them while they are apart. Any child who has ever missed his/her caregiver while s/he was at work will relate to this story.
This picture introduces the idea of "love waves," which the text defines in the back matter as "the externalized product of affection so vibrant and ample that it cannot be contained by a single heart alone and can, therefore, be shared with a loved one anything through the medium of thought, will, or wish. Similar to radio waves; invisible and capable of being transmitted over great distances and through any obstacle." Basically, someone is sending his/her love across a distance to another, which is portrayed in the illustrations through metallic, cold-stamped lines and swirls, when they are separated.
This story reassures young readers that their caregivers and loved ones continue to think about and care about them while they are apart. Any child who has ever missed his/her caregiver while s/he was at work will relate to this story.
September 21, 2018
Older book. Maybe similar to The Kissing Hand. Maybe written for children who will miss parents while they are working. I do love the definition of love wave in the back of the book. I bought it for .50 from the library give away so I will keep it.
March 11, 2025
Mommy works and Daddy works and they both care for baby at home while the other is away. Showing mommy or daddy thinking of their child while they work, missing them, and sending shiny blue “love waves” through the universe to their child.
February 8, 2018
Two working parents. Nice message of thinking of each other throughout the day and sending our good thoughts (love waves).
January 3, 2019
A sweet story :)
May 28, 2020
I'm a big believer in love waves and the baby liked it too.
February 16, 2021
Read at Storytime on February 10, 2021
Theme: Love Stories
Theme: Love Stories
April 5, 2021
What a great book
February 25, 2024
Very sweet. I liked it a lot. 😽
October 13, 2011
Grades PS - 1
As with "Mama Don't Go," Wells tackles the subject of separation anxiety, this time from the perspective of a little bunny's mother and father. As each one prepares to leave for work, leaving the child in the care of the other, there are comforting words and waves. Throughout their workday, the parents think of their little one at home, sending "love waves" his way. Similar to radio waves, the love waves travel through the air and let the child know that mommy or daddy is thinking of him and is coming home soon. Gentle rhymes pair nicely with Wells' signature illustrations, done in warm and cozy pastels. A solid addition for libraries with a strong Rosemary Wells following, or for libraries looking to supplement their picture books that deal with separation issues.
As with "Mama Don't Go," Wells tackles the subject of separation anxiety, this time from the perspective of a little bunny's mother and father. As each one prepares to leave for work, leaving the child in the care of the other, there are comforting words and waves. Throughout their workday, the parents think of their little one at home, sending "love waves" his way. Similar to radio waves, the love waves travel through the air and let the child know that mommy or daddy is thinking of him and is coming home soon. Gentle rhymes pair nicely with Wells' signature illustrations, done in warm and cozy pastels. A solid addition for libraries with a strong Rosemary Wells following, or for libraries looking to supplement their picture books that deal with separation issues.
November 19, 2011
What is not to love about Rosemary Wells? She again masterfully writes text about a difficult topic but the text absolutely suits the ears of her young audience. This book is divided into to parts. One is called ‘Mama Goes to Work” and the second one is called ‘Papa Goes to Work’. Each part speaks to being left at home while one parent goes to work, but the author also assures the reader that mom and dad think about them all day long and send them love waves. The book has her trademark bunnies, colors, and layouts. Missing is her use of everyday textures as backgrounds however new is the shiny blue foil that demonstrates the waves of love coming home from mom and dad. The whole family should find this reassuring and a possible cure for separation anxiety.
November 21, 2011
Rosemary Wells of Max and Ruby fame brings us another sweet book called Love Waves. If you love The Kissing Hand or The Hello Goodbye Window, then you will also love this book about a young bunny being separated from his parents as they go to work. A beautiful, shiny, blue love wave is sent out to him to remind him that he is loved. The love wave would also work for grandparents who live a distance from their beloved grandchildren, or children separated from military parents, the list could be endless. The illustrations are colorful and vibrant chalk drawings showing lots of fun details of everyday life. The foiled blue “love wave” carried through the pages really emphasized the main theme and made the “love” a tangible thing. A very sweet book to read to young children.
September 12, 2012
Genre: PB16
Perfect story for when a child misses a relative and needs to know that love can travel across the miles. Love the bunny illustrations and of course the love wave that travels throughout the book is perfect. Rosemary Wells has an ability to tell stories that can touch any reader and this story does just that.
Three words to describe this book: Happy, love, family
Perfect story for when a child misses a relative and needs to know that love can travel across the miles. Love the bunny illustrations and of course the love wave that travels throughout the book is perfect. Rosemary Wells has an ability to tell stories that can touch any reader and this story does just that.
Three words to describe this book: Happy, love, family
February 10, 2015
With a lyrical narrative and colorful, cartoonish illustrations that are very typical for Rosemary Wells's books, this is an entertaining book for younger children. It details the love a parent has for a child, even when they are apart.
February 3, 2015
This is a book recommended for preschool through second grade. At the preschool age, this would be great when mom and dad are away at work, but for the kindergarten through second grade it can be used to display any situation where a loved one is far away. I love the rhyming throughout the book and how it portrays that you don't have to be with someone for the love to be shared.
September 29, 2011
Great concept! A fun way for working parents to show their children that their love is always waving across to them from no matter how near or far away they are when they must be apart from one another. The shiny metallic wind that flies through the story will intrigue curious young readers.
December 27, 2011
This is truly a lovely book (Rosemary Wells is usually very good,) for children, about a parent's love for their child even when the child is out of sight, or when the parent is (for example,) at work.
May 23, 2012
Really precious, and beautiful artwork as always from Rosemary Wells. I love the shiny blue they used for the "wave" that the parents send to their child so that he feels loved even when they aren't around...
September 17, 2011
I liked the shiny "waves" that ran through the book at various points.
Read
September 29, 2011separation, mom and dad at work
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews