Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Story
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“Will you still love me if I love to chew? Will you still love me if I stick to you like glue?” Unlike other I love you picture books, in this bedtime story, an adorable puppy who’s always up to playful antics, questions a little girl’s love for her. Each question is paired with a delightful haiku. This tale about unconditional love and friendship comes full circle, spring to spring, yet is timeless, featuring charming illustrations and playful text.
The book has a wonderful introduction about how to write haiku and an additional section comprising of more puppy haiku contributed by several poets from different parts of the world. |
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Awards
Silver Award (Children's Book category) - Northern California Publishers and Authors Book Awards 2020
Silver Award (Cover and Inner Layout category)- Northern California Publishers and Authors Book Awards 2020
Silver Award (Children's Book category) - Northern California Publishers and Authors Book Awards 2020
Silver Award (Cover and Inner Layout category)- Northern California Publishers and Authors Book Awards 2020
Reviews
Book Review by Michael H. Lester of Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Story, published in the Quills Issue 7 (January 2021)
Although I have known Christine L. Villa for a relatively short time, I can confidently say she is in love with Haiku (her fun-loving, dedicated, and mischievous Maltipoo) and with haiku (a type of short poem from Japan, as Sarah Welch describes it in her easy-to-understand, charming, and well written introduction to Chrissi’s wonderful new children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, published by Chrissi’s own Purple Cotton Candy Arts). From the very first page of the book, which features Haiku in a pirate’s hat, you can tell that Chrissi’s book will be a great adventure.
The illustrations by the talented artist, Jiliane Vilches, beautifully capture Haiku’s antics with crisp, clean, and simple drawings, rich with vibrant colors and subtle shading. Her illustrations of the scenery and furnishings look familiar and inviting, like any dog lover’s environment might look.
Chrissi dedicates her book to Haiku, dressed in her favorite outfit . . . aptly, a pinkish purple cotton candy colored turtleneck sweater set against a beautiful turquoise throw pillow. She looks great! The introduction by Sarah Welch, the young daughter of Michael Dylan Welch, Chrissi’s haiku mentor, bears another mention for its simplicity and clarity. She begins with a haiku from one of Japan’s most famous poets, Issa . . .
雪とけて村一ぱいの子ども哉
yuki tokete mura ippai no kodomo kana
snow melting . . .
the village is flooded
with children!
As you can see, this haiku contains a season word and is written in two parts. The author uses his sense of sight to describe the moment. What I like most about this haiku is how Issa cleverly uses the season word to show us how the snow melting floods the village with children.
I also like the last haiku in Sarah’s introduction . . .
breezy morning--
a Yorkie puppy
catching cherry petals
I can easily picture Haiku jumping up to catch the falling cherry petals. What a beautiful scene this creates!
The first illustration jumps out at me. I think it is a purple cotton candy tree! The text reads as follows: Will you still love me if I pout until I get what I want. Every dog owner knows that one of the most used and most effective tricks in the puppy’s bag of tricks to get its owner’s attention is the sad-eyed pout. The cotton candy tree makes it to the next page, too, where Haiku, with a ribbon in her hair and those sad, pouting eyes wants in on the ice cream. This clever haiku reminds me of the Issa haiku in the introduction . . .
puppy eyes
my heart melts faster
than ice cream
only this time, it is the heart that is melting!
Puppies love toys and Haiku certainly has an ample share of them. The illustration here is a great example of the simple, crisp, and clean lines Jiliane uses to create a warm and familiar scene, complete with little touches that bring it to life, like the tiled floor, the plant in the corner, and the wardrobe with several of Haiku’s frilly dresses and a good supply of doggie treats. A couple of pages later, we find ourselves in the kitchen where it looks like something is missing! Sure enough, Haiku has run away with the sausages!
cooking dinner
the pitter-patter
of puppy paws
I am not sure what the season word would be in this haiku, but I like it a lot, anyway! Once a puppy has what she wants in her mouth, she will slink off to her secret place, hoping she will not be noticed, where she will closely guard her prize.
Will you still love me if I mess up your carpet? I got a nice laugh out of this one! If you cannot handle watermelon juice on your carpet, you might want to get a goldfish instead of a puppy! I love the dishes in the cabinet in this illustration. I wonder if I can order some through Purple Cotton Candy Arts.
Puppies love shoelaces. I know from my conversations with Chrissi that she has actually had a tug of war with Haiku over her shoelaces. Chrissi sent me a photo as proof. I do not remember who won the tug of war, but as a mother once told me . . . let the kid win this time! There is that pirate Haiku flag again on the treehouse, and Haiku looking dashing in his purple cotton candy pirate head scarf. To me, it looks like Haiku is winning this tug of war!
Dressed as a witch on Halloween, Haiku takes the lead. The haiku for this scene meets all the conditions Sarah Welch describes in the introduction, if you think almost dusk is a season word. The thing about season words . . . they do not have to be explicit. You can use words that suggest a season.
almost dusk . . .
my puppy takes me back
the long way home
Sometimes, you just have to let the puppy go where she wants to go, even if it means a few extra steps out of your way. It is Halloween in this illustration. Chrissi and Haiku are taking us through the seasons.
Puppies love attention and they love to be with their owners, but sometimes something distracts them, like a squirrel or a fly. Then, we realize how much we love their attention and how hard it can sometimes be to get them to come inside when it is time for dinner. I love the illustrations of the porch and the yard, and those purple cotton candy flowers along the fence!
evening chatter
my puppy listens
to the buzz of a fly
Will you still love me if I love to chew? It is Christmas! Haiku looks like she is chewing a tube of toothpaste, and Chrissi found a sock with a hole in it. Hmmm! Who could have done that?
laundry day
I find holes
in my missing sock
Now we come to one of my favorite parts of the book! Will you still love me if I stick to you like glue? The illustration with the tent and dancing by the light of the lamp on the floor is such a happy scene! It reminds me of the games children play at night when they are supposed to be sleeping! The haiku on the next page is precious. Haiku likes to go wherever Chrissi goes and follows her like a shadow.
winter night
the color of my shadow
is white
Digging up the yard is another favorite puppy pastime. Will you still love me if I dig up the yard? Jiliane’s illustration perfectly captures the moment, as does the haiku . . .
rush hour
my puppy takes her time
to smell the tulips
One technique Chrissi uses to good effect is the play on words. In this haiku, Chrissi contrasts rush hour with the puppy taking her time. This gives the haiku an extra dimension, which puts it a notch above the average haiku.
Finally, as we come to the end of this lovely children’s picture book tribute to Haiku, Chrissi make the ultimate pun . . .
If you asked me, “Will you love me no matter what you do?”, I would answer, “I will love you always and paw-ever!”
Chrissi ends the book with a series of puppy haiku for all four seasons by some of her favorite haiku poets. Many of these haiku illustrate the puppy characteristics Chrissi writes about in her book. She also acknowledges the people who helped her and encouraged her to write this book.
Chrissi’s children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, is beautifully and lovingly done from the first page to the last. All haiku lovers and dog lovers would be proud to have this book in their library and will enjoy reading it over and over to the little ones, who will be enchanted and delighted with Chrissi’s book.
More Book Reviews
I gave this book as a gift and this is what the recipient had to say. She was thrilled! “This book, "Will You Still Love Me? A Puppy Haiku Story,” is just a wonderful way to introduce little kids and big kids like me to crafting haiku poetry. It covers everything a naughty puppy does and puppies do it all! The drawings by Jiliane Vilches are delightful. I immediately fell in love with the puppy on the cover. Please publish more! Sincerely, Carol B. and Bella Mae B. of Utah (Julie Kelsey)
This clever haiku book is a combination of questions and haiku poems from the perspective of both a little girl and her dog. It highlights the special bond dogs can have with their human friends. The seasonal aspect, which is common in traditional haiku, is shown mainly through the illustrations the latter which are expressive and colorful.
I am happy to make a special appearance in the back of this book with one of my dog haiku alongside ten other poets. Thanks, Chrissi! Will You Still Love Me is for children and the child in all of us, especially those who love dogs! A fun way to learn haiku too. The “How to Haiku” foreword is by Sarah Welch, age 13.(Corine Timmer)
I bought this book for my two daughters, 7 and 3. What caught my attention was the lovely cover with the cute little dog playing in the yard. There was a really helpful guide titled How to Haiku on the beginning of the book, which really helped me and my daughters understand the basics of writing Haiku. The main story of the book is a combination of traditional children's story with sprinkle of Haiku poems that complement the story. I think it is a really refreshing idea. It is a heartwarming story about unconditional love between a girl and the cutest little dog. The illustrations are gorgeous, very detailed with vivid colors, which is perfect for children. My daughters loved it! They said the book is cute and beautiful at the same time. Overall, this is a must-read book for kids and adults alike and a perfect mood booster. (Katrina Lim)
I'm always looking for new and interesting topics to introduce to my kids. "Will You Still Love Me?" is not only fun and heart-warming, but it has also accompanying haiku with every part of the story. My girls love it! They have asked for this story over and over again. For parents wanting to expand their kids understanding of different forms of poetry I highly reccomend this charming book! (Tia)
I LOVE it ! It is my new favorite book to read over and over. Adults and children will love it. (Carla retired Children's Librarian from Amarillo, TX)
Christine Villa's "Will You Still Love Me" is a delight. The illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to the wonderful story of a puppy named "Haiku". The introduction to writing haiku poetry is easy to understand for all ages. (Sigrid Saradunn)
Book Review by Michael H. Lester of Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Story, published in the Quills Issue 7 (January 2021)
Although I have known Christine L. Villa for a relatively short time, I can confidently say she is in love with Haiku (her fun-loving, dedicated, and mischievous Maltipoo) and with haiku (a type of short poem from Japan, as Sarah Welch describes it in her easy-to-understand, charming, and well written introduction to Chrissi’s wonderful new children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, published by Chrissi’s own Purple Cotton Candy Arts). From the very first page of the book, which features Haiku in a pirate’s hat, you can tell that Chrissi’s book will be a great adventure.
The illustrations by the talented artist, Jiliane Vilches, beautifully capture Haiku’s antics with crisp, clean, and simple drawings, rich with vibrant colors and subtle shading. Her illustrations of the scenery and furnishings look familiar and inviting, like any dog lover’s environment might look.
Chrissi dedicates her book to Haiku, dressed in her favorite outfit . . . aptly, a pinkish purple cotton candy colored turtleneck sweater set against a beautiful turquoise throw pillow. She looks great! The introduction by Sarah Welch, the young daughter of Michael Dylan Welch, Chrissi’s haiku mentor, bears another mention for its simplicity and clarity. She begins with a haiku from one of Japan’s most famous poets, Issa . . .
雪とけて村一ぱいの子ども哉
yuki tokete mura ippai no kodomo kana
snow melting . . .
the village is flooded
with children!
As you can see, this haiku contains a season word and is written in two parts. The author uses his sense of sight to describe the moment. What I like most about this haiku is how Issa cleverly uses the season word to show us how the snow melting floods the village with children.
I also like the last haiku in Sarah’s introduction . . .
breezy morning--
a Yorkie puppy
catching cherry petals
I can easily picture Haiku jumping up to catch the falling cherry petals. What a beautiful scene this creates!
The first illustration jumps out at me. I think it is a purple cotton candy tree! The text reads as follows: Will you still love me if I pout until I get what I want. Every dog owner knows that one of the most used and most effective tricks in the puppy’s bag of tricks to get its owner’s attention is the sad-eyed pout. The cotton candy tree makes it to the next page, too, where Haiku, with a ribbon in her hair and those sad, pouting eyes wants in on the ice cream. This clever haiku reminds me of the Issa haiku in the introduction . . .
puppy eyes
my heart melts faster
than ice cream
only this time, it is the heart that is melting!
Puppies love toys and Haiku certainly has an ample share of them. The illustration here is a great example of the simple, crisp, and clean lines Jiliane uses to create a warm and familiar scene, complete with little touches that bring it to life, like the tiled floor, the plant in the corner, and the wardrobe with several of Haiku’s frilly dresses and a good supply of doggie treats. A couple of pages later, we find ourselves in the kitchen where it looks like something is missing! Sure enough, Haiku has run away with the sausages!
cooking dinner
the pitter-patter
of puppy paws
I am not sure what the season word would be in this haiku, but I like it a lot, anyway! Once a puppy has what she wants in her mouth, she will slink off to her secret place, hoping she will not be noticed, where she will closely guard her prize.
Will you still love me if I mess up your carpet? I got a nice laugh out of this one! If you cannot handle watermelon juice on your carpet, you might want to get a goldfish instead of a puppy! I love the dishes in the cabinet in this illustration. I wonder if I can order some through Purple Cotton Candy Arts.
Puppies love shoelaces. I know from my conversations with Chrissi that she has actually had a tug of war with Haiku over her shoelaces. Chrissi sent me a photo as proof. I do not remember who won the tug of war, but as a mother once told me . . . let the kid win this time! There is that pirate Haiku flag again on the treehouse, and Haiku looking dashing in his purple cotton candy pirate head scarf. To me, it looks like Haiku is winning this tug of war!
Dressed as a witch on Halloween, Haiku takes the lead. The haiku for this scene meets all the conditions Sarah Welch describes in the introduction, if you think almost dusk is a season word. The thing about season words . . . they do not have to be explicit. You can use words that suggest a season.
almost dusk . . .
my puppy takes me back
the long way home
Sometimes, you just have to let the puppy go where she wants to go, even if it means a few extra steps out of your way. It is Halloween in this illustration. Chrissi and Haiku are taking us through the seasons.
Puppies love attention and they love to be with their owners, but sometimes something distracts them, like a squirrel or a fly. Then, we realize how much we love their attention and how hard it can sometimes be to get them to come inside when it is time for dinner. I love the illustrations of the porch and the yard, and those purple cotton candy flowers along the fence!
evening chatter
my puppy listens
to the buzz of a fly
Will you still love me if I love to chew? It is Christmas! Haiku looks like she is chewing a tube of toothpaste, and Chrissi found a sock with a hole in it. Hmmm! Who could have done that?
laundry day
I find holes
in my missing sock
Now we come to one of my favorite parts of the book! Will you still love me if I stick to you like glue? The illustration with the tent and dancing by the light of the lamp on the floor is such a happy scene! It reminds me of the games children play at night when they are supposed to be sleeping! The haiku on the next page is precious. Haiku likes to go wherever Chrissi goes and follows her like a shadow.
winter night
the color of my shadow
is white
Digging up the yard is another favorite puppy pastime. Will you still love me if I dig up the yard? Jiliane’s illustration perfectly captures the moment, as does the haiku . . .
rush hour
my puppy takes her time
to smell the tulips
One technique Chrissi uses to good effect is the play on words. In this haiku, Chrissi contrasts rush hour with the puppy taking her time. This gives the haiku an extra dimension, which puts it a notch above the average haiku.
Finally, as we come to the end of this lovely children’s picture book tribute to Haiku, Chrissi make the ultimate pun . . .
If you asked me, “Will you love me no matter what you do?”, I would answer, “I will love you always and paw-ever!”
Chrissi ends the book with a series of puppy haiku for all four seasons by some of her favorite haiku poets. Many of these haiku illustrate the puppy characteristics Chrissi writes about in her book. She also acknowledges the people who helped her and encouraged her to write this book.
Chrissi’s children’s picture book, Will You Still Love Me: A Puppy Haiku Book, is beautifully and lovingly done from the first page to the last. All haiku lovers and dog lovers would be proud to have this book in their library and will enjoy reading it over and over to the little ones, who will be enchanted and delighted with Chrissi’s book.
More Book Reviews
I gave this book as a gift and this is what the recipient had to say. She was thrilled! “This book, "Will You Still Love Me? A Puppy Haiku Story,” is just a wonderful way to introduce little kids and big kids like me to crafting haiku poetry. It covers everything a naughty puppy does and puppies do it all! The drawings by Jiliane Vilches are delightful. I immediately fell in love with the puppy on the cover. Please publish more! Sincerely, Carol B. and Bella Mae B. of Utah (Julie Kelsey)
This clever haiku book is a combination of questions and haiku poems from the perspective of both a little girl and her dog. It highlights the special bond dogs can have with their human friends. The seasonal aspect, which is common in traditional haiku, is shown mainly through the illustrations the latter which are expressive and colorful.
I am happy to make a special appearance in the back of this book with one of my dog haiku alongside ten other poets. Thanks, Chrissi! Will You Still Love Me is for children and the child in all of us, especially those who love dogs! A fun way to learn haiku too. The “How to Haiku” foreword is by Sarah Welch, age 13.(Corine Timmer)
I bought this book for my two daughters, 7 and 3. What caught my attention was the lovely cover with the cute little dog playing in the yard. There was a really helpful guide titled How to Haiku on the beginning of the book, which really helped me and my daughters understand the basics of writing Haiku. The main story of the book is a combination of traditional children's story with sprinkle of Haiku poems that complement the story. I think it is a really refreshing idea. It is a heartwarming story about unconditional love between a girl and the cutest little dog. The illustrations are gorgeous, very detailed with vivid colors, which is perfect for children. My daughters loved it! They said the book is cute and beautiful at the same time. Overall, this is a must-read book for kids and adults alike and a perfect mood booster. (Katrina Lim)
I'm always looking for new and interesting topics to introduce to my kids. "Will You Still Love Me?" is not only fun and heart-warming, but it has also accompanying haiku with every part of the story. My girls love it! They have asked for this story over and over again. For parents wanting to expand their kids understanding of different forms of poetry I highly reccomend this charming book! (Tia)
I LOVE it ! It is my new favorite book to read over and over. Adults and children will love it. (Carla retired Children's Librarian from Amarillo, TX)
Christine Villa's "Will You Still Love Me" is a delight. The illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to the wonderful story of a puppy named "Haiku". The introduction to writing haiku poetry is easy to understand for all ages. (Sigrid Saradunn)
Let's keep in touch! Contact me at chrissivilla@gmail.com.
