Sam McBratney, author of Guess How Much I Love You, died last Friday, September 18. He was 77.
McBratney wrote more than 50 books, but as Candlewick Press said, "he achieved international acclaim with the 1994 publication of Guess How Much I Love You, which features a spirited yet tender bedtime competition between two nutbrown hares and the now iconic illustrations of Anita Jeram. Now considered a children's book classic, Guess How Much I Love You has sold over 50 million copies worldwide, been translated into 57 languages, and serves as the cornerstone of a global licensing program." It also popularized the phrase "I love you to the moon and back." McBratney himself described it as "a lighthearted little story designed to help a big one and a wee one enjoy the pleasure of being together."
McBratney's companion to Guess How Much I Love You, titled Will You Be My Friend?, has a global publishing date of September 29. The author had said about the sequel: "When writing about the hares, I aim to describe moments of emotional significance but with loads of humor and the lightest of touches. This story is about one of those moments. Little Nutbrown Hare's world suddenly glows with the discovery of friendship."
Karen Lotz, group managing director of the Walker Books Group, which includes Candlewick Press, said: "Sam McBratney was a profoundly lovely human being. You could recognize his voice in a moment--he was an exceptionally talented wordsmith and always knew exactly what children would enjoy hearing the most. Amazingly humble, he also was a hilarious storyteller and convivial companion. We never had better days than when he would come down from Ireland to visit the offices in London. Our world dims with his passing, but his legacy of kindness and humor will burn bright and carry on across time and distance through his stories, which have touched the hearts of readers around the globe.