A Thousand Years

In this portrait of parental doting, singer-songwriter Perri recasts her titular ballad to describe the enduring connection between an adult and growing child. Verses take the perspective of an adult speaker, centering on the sustaining sentiments expressed in the refrain “I have loved you for a thousand years./ I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Hwang Ruiz’s candy-colored pencil and digital renderings use literal images to buttress the song. Alongside the lines “But watching you stand alone,// all of my doubt suddenly goes away,” a ruddy-cheeked toddler stands, then takes a tentative step toward a caregiver, both portrayed with pale skin. Together, text and image communicate relationships’ strengthening ties. Ages 3–7. (Apr.)