I'll Catch You If You Fall

by Mark Sperring, Layn Marlow (Illustrator)

Overview

In the spirit of Someday and Guess How Much I Love You comes a lyrical and endearing picture book about the people in our lives who are always there to look out for us.

Who will keep the boy safe?
“I will,” said his mother. “I will hold him close...
and never let him lean too far.”

Big or small, near or far, we all need someone to watch over us. This touching picture book is a reassuring tale about a journey and the people who are with us as we travel through life. It is for anyone who has wondered, Who will keep me safe? and for anyone who has answered, I will.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781534452091
Publisher:	Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers
Publication date:	06/11/2019
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	470,802
Product dimensions:	8.90(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Mark Sperring is the author of The Sunflower Sword, Captain Buckleboots on the Naughty Step, and Green. He is a bookseller with a huge wealth of knowledge of the children’s market. Mark lives in Bristol, England.

Layn Marlow grew up in Essex, England. After studying history of art at Reading University, Layn began her career working for the library service. She lived in Belgium for several years but it was on her return to the UK that she enrolled as a mature student at Southampton University and received a first class degree in illustration.

Editorial Reviews

01/01/2016
PreS-Gr 1—This nautical-themed British import reassures children everywhere that there is always someone watching over them. This picturesque book starts by asking, "Who will keep the boy safe?" as a young boy in a yellow raincoat reaches perilously over the edge of a boat with a net. "'I will', said his mother. 'I will hold him close…and never let him lean too far.'" The text then goes on to ask who will keep both of them safe, along with the boat and then a star. The true standouts in this book are the bright watercolor and digital illustrations. The impressive storm seascapes in particular will mesmerize both children and adults. This picture book could be used in a sea-themed storytime, as well as a storytime about feelings. The book's theme and tone are also broad enough that caregivers could adapt it to their own anxious children's concerns. VERDICT A general purchase for most libraries.—Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

2015-12-08
A little boy on a perilous adventure at sea needs someone to see him safely home. The first double-page spread introduces a little boy in a yellow slicker and sou'wester, leaning precariously from a boat and dragging a net through the water. The charming, digitally rendered illustrations feature a lighthouse in the distance and a welcoming harbor with a dog keeping watch on the water. Large black text undulates like a wave across the page, asking: "Who will keep the boy safe?" With a turn of the page, his mother answers: "I will….I will hold him close…and never let him lean too far." But who will keep them both safe? The boat's captain will. And who will keep the boat safe? A star will guide it through a storm and safely back to harbor. Finally, the questions come to rest in a way that gently empowers the boy at the heart of the story and recalls its opening scene. Who will keep the star safe? "I will," says the little boy, now holding his red net out his window: "I will lean out my window, but not too far… / and catch you if you fall." Marlow's illustrations reveal a quaint, North Atlantic coastal setting; all characters are white, and both the boat's captain and the little boy (under his slicker) sport cozy fisherman-knit sweaters. This sentimental story of a return voyage carries an important message—let's all take care of one another. (Picture book. 2-5)

Kirkus Reviews