I Carry Your Heart with Me - by E E Cummings (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Capturing the comfort, security, and wonder of being deeply loved, gentle, lyrical language celebrates the unbreakable bond between parent and child in this beautifully illustrated board book adaptation of E. E. Cummings's poem i carry your heart with me (i carry it in).

With enchanting artwork by Mati Rose McDonough, every spread invites little readers into a magical natural world filled with flowers, animals, stars, and growing things. Her warm, folk-inspired illustrations transform one of the most cherished love poems of all time into a visual journey that children can return to again and again.

Perfect for sharing at bedtime, story time, Mother's Day, baby showers, and family celebrations, I Carry Your Heart with Me offers a heartfelt reminder that love accompanies us wherever we go. It makes an ideal gift for parents, grandparents, and caregivers looking to create meaningful reading moments with the children they cherish.

A modern classic for babies, toddlers, and the adults who love them, this enduring poem continues to inspire generations with its message of connection, devotion, and unconditional love.

Review Quotes

In her first children's book, artist McDonough imagines the mother-child relationship as the centerpiece for the e.e. cummings love poem "[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]," written using its original format and punctuation. In serene mixed-media collages, a mother with soulful eyes, rosy cheeks, and her hair in a short, black bob accompanies her daughter through the early stages of her young life, from infancy to her daughter's first excursion into the world on her own. Tucked within a cozy nest or seen flying overhead, a cut-paper mother bird and its offspring mimic the mother and child during their bonding moments, as do two whimsical paper elephants, scrawled in cursive ink and newsprint. Decorative hearts, leaves, water motifs, and assorted fabrics are also integrated throughout, complementing rather than overwhelming McDonough's rich, solid colors. The message of growth, nurturing, and boundless love will reach readers, while Cummings's emotional and succinct verse stands autonomously: "and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant/ and whatever a sun will always sing is you." Ages 2-6. (Apr.) - Publishers Weekly

A mother shows her daughter the world, from season to season, from night into day, in the sweet, collage artwork that accompanies the poem "[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]" by E. E. Cummings. Mellow colors and images patched together from paper, cardboard, fabric, canvas, and paint fuse beautifully with Cummings's gentle words. This masterful merging of poetry and illustration makes for the perfect book for bedtime. Ages two to five.Foreword Reviews

About the Author

E. E. Cummings (1894-1962) was one of America's most celebrated poets, renowned for his distinctive style, inventive typography, and deeply personal explorations of love, nature, and individuality. His poem i carry your heart with me (i carry it in), first published in Complete Poems: 1904-1962, has become one of the most beloved and frequently quoted love poems in the English language. His work continues to captivate readers around the world and inspire new generations through adaptations such as I Carry Your Heart with Me.

Mati Rose McDonough is an artist, illustrator, and designer known for her vibrant folk-art style, richly patterned compositions, and celebrations of nature and family life. Her artwork blends whimsy, warmth, and intricate detail, creating imagery that appeals to both children and adults. Through I Carry Your Heart with Me, she brings E. E. Cummings's classic poem to life with illustrations that evoke tenderness, imagination, and the enduring bonds of love.