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Quick answer: If you loved Guess How Much I Love You, try Love You Forever, Goodnight Moon, The Runaway Bunny, I Love You Through and Through, On the Night You Were Born and The Kissing Hand. Each one is a tender bedtime picture book about love between parent and child.
Sam McBratney's 1994 picture book, illustrated by Anita Jeram, follows Little Nutbrown Hare and Big Nutbrown Hare at bedtime. Little Hare tries to show how much he loves Big Hare, stretching his arms wide and hopping high, and Big Hare always loves him a little more. Finally Little Hare says he loves him “right up to the moon”, and Big Hare replies, “and back”. Readers love its tenderness. These books share its love and its bedtime calm.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Age | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Love You Forever | Robert Munsch | 3-7 | readers who like lifelong love |
| Goodnight Moon | Margaret Wise Brown | 0-4 | toddlers |
| The Runaway Bunny | Margaret Wise Brown | 2-5 | readers who like a parent's love |
| I Love You Through and Through | Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak | 0-3 | toddlers |
| On the Night You Were Born | Nancy Tillman | 0-5 | readers who like celebration |
| The Kissing Hand | Audrey Penn | 3-7 | readers who like comfort |
| Mama, Do You Love Me? | Barbara M. Joosse | 2-6 | readers who like unconditional love |
| Owl Babies | Martin Waddell | 2-5 | readers who like waiting for parents |
| Llama Llama Red Pajama | Anna Dewdney | 2-5 | readers who like bedtime worries |
| I Love You, Stinky Face | Lisa McCourt | 3-6 | readers who like silly love |
| The Invisible String | Patrice Karst | 3-8 | readers who need comfort |
| Time for Bed | Mem Fox | 0-4 | toddlers |
| Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You | Nancy Tillman | 2-6 | readers who like reassurance |
| Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? | Martin Waddell | 2-6 | readers who fear the dark |
| Hug | Jez Alborough | 1-4 | toddlers |
1. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch
A mother sings to her son through his life.
Best for: readers who like lifelong love.
2. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown
A bunny says goodnight to everything.
Best for: toddlers.
3. The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
A mother bunny follows her runaway son.
Best for: readers who like a parent's love.
4. I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak
A parent loves a child in every way.
Best for: toddlers.
5. On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman
The world celebrates a baby's birth.
Best for: readers who like celebration.
6. The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
A raccoon mother gives her son a kiss to keep.
Best for: readers who like comfort.
7. Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara M. Joosse
An Inuit girl tests her mother's love.
Best for: readers who like unconditional love.
8. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell
Owlets wait for their mother.
Best for: readers who like waiting for parents.
9. Llama Llama Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney
A little llama waits for his mama.
Best for: readers who like bedtime worries.
10. I Love You, Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt
A mother loves her child even as a monster.
Best for: readers who like silly love.
11. The Invisible String by Patrice Karst
An invisible string connects loved ones.
Best for: readers who need comfort.
12. Time for Bed by Mem Fox
Animal parents put babies to bed.
Best for: toddlers.
13. Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman
A parent's love follows a child.
Best for: readers who like reassurance.
14. Can't You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell
A cub is afraid of the dark.
Best for: readers who fear the dark.
15. Hug by Jez Alborough
A little chimp looks for a hug.
Best for: toddlers.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Guess How Much I Love: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Guess How Much I Love. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most. If a pick is part of a longer series, read the first book before you commit, and check the age or content notes in the table before passing a book to a younger reader.
How to Choose
For more bedtime love, Love You Forever and The Runaway Bunny are classics. Toddlers will enjoy Goodnight Moon and Time for Bed. If your child needs comfort when apart, The Kissing Hand and The Invisible String are perfect.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Guess How Much I Love You about?
Two hares compete to show how much they love each other.
Who illustrated it?
Anita Jeram.
What is the famous line?
“I love you right up to the moon—and back.”
What age is it for?
It suits children about 1 to 5.
Is there a sequel?
Yes, several Nutbrown Hare books.
Is it a good gift?
Yes. It is a popular baby shower and birthday gift.
What should my child read next?
Goodnight Moon.