’Cause I Love You

Printed on cardboard with a soft-to-the-touch cover, this unabashedly syrupy ode to parent and child stars a mother bear and her son, who enjoy a day’s worth of adventures together on a chilly day. Carr’s homey rhymes don’t feel overly conventional, thanks to lots of hyphenated phrases and dropped g’s, and she establishes a bouncy, staccato rhythm from the get-go: “You’re my rough-and-ready guy./ Tip-top tumble, don’t you cry./ Kiss the smeary tears good-bye./ See? Good as new!” Howarth’s mixed-media scenes create a friendly community for the two bears, who are dressed in layers of brightly colored winter-wear, to explore. It’s a cozy reminder of kids’ central place in their parents’ hearts and minds. Up to age 3. (Dec.)