Guess How Much I Love You


Guess How Much I Love You is a British children's book written by Sam McBratney and illustrated by Anita Jeram, published in 1994, in the United Kingdom by Walker Books and in 1995, in the United States by its subsidiary Candlewick Press. The book was a 1996 ALA Notable Children's Book. According to its publishers, in addition to the ALA award and numerous other awards, it has sold more than 43 million copies worldwide and been published in 57 languages.
Based on a 2007 online poll, the National Education Association in the U.S. named the book one of its "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children." Guess How Much I Love You has been published in several different formats, suitable for children from age 1½ to 8. It has been adapted as a television cartoon show in the U.S.

Plot Summary

Guess How Much I Love You follows the story of two Nutbrown Hares, Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare. The two are never stated to be father and son in the original storybooks, though are referred to as such in the narration for the animated television series. Little Nutbrown Hare asks Big Nutbrown Hare the title question, "Guess how much I love you?", and the book continues as the two use larger and larger measures to quantify how much they love each other in answer to the question. The story is simple, but effectively shows the love the two share for each other.

Subsequent Nutbrown Hare books

In 2007, two additional Nutbrown Hare books were published: When I'm Big: A Guess How Much I Love You Storybook and Colors Everywhere: A Guess How Much I Love You Storybook, later released as a set. In 2008, Let's Play in the Snow: A Guess How Much I Love You Storybook was published. And in 2009, A Surprise for the Nutbrown Hares: A Guess How Much I Love You Storybook was published. The Adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare, a 72-page, four-story compilation, was released on August 28, 2012. It features the tales "The Hiding Tree," "On Cloudy Mountain," "The Far Field," and "Coming Home." Its illustrations were provided by Andy Wanger and Debbie Tarbett, "in the style of Anita Jeram."

2010 TV series

In 2010, an animated adaptation of Guess How Much I Love You began airing through Canada's TVO Kids and Disney Junior. The show is produced by SLR Productions Australia and Scrawl Studios and distributed by CCI Entertainment. Reception for the show has been positive and in 2013, it received an AACTA Award nomination for "Best Children's Television Series". It was renewed for a second season.