Did you know that you are surrounded by love? Before you were born, you were loved, and you are loved throughout your life. In Mariah Gibson’s My First Fans, a little bunny feels the love all around, from its first steps to long after it’s married and starts its own family. Love is there in so many ways. Even when we lose someone we love, they are still with us in their ongoing love for us. On all those important days of our lives, school days, birthdays, games, recitals, and so much more, love surrounds us.

Mariah Gibson’s picture book, My First Fans, is a sweet and charming story about love. Like Robert Munsch’s heartfelt story, Love You Forever, this story reflects the love that surrounds us all. Told in simple language so young readers can easily follow along and improve their reading skills, this book follows one bunny’s life from before it is born until it reaches adulthood. The illustrations by Nithini Wathsala are subtle, but they are also bright, bold, and colorful and add a loving extra dimension to the developing storyline. The story is also interactive, with the author providing a clue at the beginning that there is a butterfly and a dragonfly fluttering around through the illustrations, encouraging the young readers to watch out for them. This is a great way to ensure that young readers remain engaged in the story from beginning to end. The message in this comforting story is clear: love is all around us, always! This is a good read for any time, but it’s also beneficial during times of sadness and loss. Beautifully told!

My First Fans by Mariah Gibson is a children’s story about enduring love, the love that comes from family, from our ancestors. As the story unfolds, each potentially significant event in a child’s life, from birth to birthdays, from first day at school to school performances, from special days of celebration to regular family days, is captured and wrapped in the warmth of their ancestors' love. At the start of the book, the author encourages us to spot the butterfly and dragonfly as we read, because they symbolize that ‘love is always near.’

My First Fans by Mariah Gibson is a beautiful children’s story. As I read it, I felt warm and cozy, absolutely charmed by how the ancestors’ enduring love was described. The story flows freely, building upon the stages of a child’s life with picturesque prose and a pleasing tone. Asking the reader to spot the butterfly and dragonfly as they read the story is brilliant. It kept me engaged as I participated in the story. The illustrations are delightful. The illustrator, Nithini Wathsala, captures Gibson’s intent by using lots of color and light with many beautiful, charming creatures. Each creature has its own personality and is expressive. And the way the ancestors are portrayed, through lockets hanging in the trees, tells the child they are always with them and will always love and celebrate them. This is a loving, thoughtful take on the importance of family, especially ancestors, in ensuring that children are loved and celebrated.