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Book Lists, Picture Book Lists · September 30, 2022

Picture Books About Love

Love is a beautiful emotion, and children are constantly learning about feelings. This list of picture books about love feature darling stories about loving friends, family, pets, hair, and so much more! Kids reading these stories will see how wonderful love is and some sweet ways they can express it. If you have kids who love love, kisses, and cuddles, these are some stories for them.


Picture Books About Love

📚 Disclaimer in the books: Just so you know, Reading Middle Grade uses affiliate links. This means that when you shop via the links in our posts, we may earn a cent or two at no extra cost to you. Thanks for adding to our book buying fund.


30+ Lovable Picture Books About Love

Here are 30+ darling picture books about love:

Love Monster

Love Monster

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Published: December 24, 2013

Love Monster is a slightly hairy monster trying to fit in with the cuddly residents of Cutesville. But as it turns out, it’s hard to fit in with the cute and the fluffy when you’re a googly-eyed monster. And so, Love Monster sets out to find someone who will love him just the way he is. His journey is not easy―he looks high, low, and even middle-ish. But as he soon finds out, in the blink of a googly eye, love can find you when you least expect it.


I’ve Loved You Since Forever

I've Loved You Since Forever

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Published: March 6, 2018

In the universe,

there was you and

there was me,

waiting for the day our

stars would meet. . .


Sit. Stay. Love. Life Lessons from a Doggie

Sit. Stay. Love. Life Lessons from a Doggie - A Children’s Book of Values and Virtues - A How To Guide on Building Friendships Through Love, Kindness, and Respect

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Published: February 15, 2021

Imbue good character and confidence within your child through easy life lessons, from a doggie!

Dogs make us laugh, and dogs bring us joy. But what can they teach us about life? With its lovable pictures and songlike rhymes, kids will pick up valuable lessons they can use throughout their lives. Sit Stay Love teaches that no matter how we are different, how we are the same is what matters most.

With so many things to learn in life, who’d knew that the best life lessons would come from a dog!

Children thrive on simple phrases, and easy to remember ideas. With a loveable dog-friend as a guide, children will relate to the kind words and advice on every page. Sometimes the guidance parents instill each day seems a bit easier to remember when it comes from a friend. This is one manners book your child will want to read over and over again.


Love

Love

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Published: January 9, 2018

“In the beginning there is light
and two wide-eyed figures standing near the foot of your bed
and the sound of their voices is love.
…
A cab driver plays love softly on his radio
while you bounce in back with the bumps of the city
and everything smells new, and it smells like life.”


Smooch!

Smooch!: A Sweet Picture Book about Unconditional Love

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Published: January 4, 2022

Smooch! A Kiss! It’s stuck on you.
The love inside is just like glue.
Wipe or rub it’s there to stay,
‘Cause kisses never fade away!


Love From the Crayons

Love from the Crayons

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Published: December 24, 2019

Love is yellow and orange. Because love is sunny and warm.
Love is purple. Because it’s okay to love outside the lines.


What is Love

What Is Love?

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Published: December 28, 2021

“What is love?” a young boy asks. “I can’t answer that,” his grandmother says, and so the boy goes out into the world to find out. But while each person he meets—the fisherman, the actor, and others—has an answer to his question, not one seems quite right. Could love really be a fish, or applause, or the night? Or could it actually be something much closer to home? This tender, funny tale is an original take on the “I love you” story, a picture book treasure for all ages to read and cherish.


The Wonderful Things You Will Be

The Wonderful Things You Will Be

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Published: August 25, 2015

From brave and bold to creative and clever, Emily Winfield Martin’s rhythmic rhyme expresses all the loving things that parents think of when they look at their children. With beautiful, lush illustrations and a stunning gatefold that opens at the end, this is a book that families will love reading over and over. 


I Love You to the Moon and Back

I Love You to the Moon and Back

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Published: January 6, 2022

When the sun comes up, Big Bear and Little Bear think of new ways to share their love. Big Bear loves Little Bear more and more as each day passes, right up to each new moon – and back. 


Hair Love

Hair Love

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Published: May 14, 2019

Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it’s beautiful. When Daddy steps in to style it for an extra special occasion, he has a lot to learn. But he LOVES his Zuri, and he’ll do anything to make her — and her hair — happy.

Tender and empowering, Hair Love is an ode to loving your natural hair — and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere. A perfect gift for special occasions including Father’s Day, birthdays, baby showers, and more!


Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You

Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You

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Published: September 14, 2010

. . . I wanted you more than you’ll ever know,

. so I sent love to follow wherever you go. . . .

Love is the greatest gift we have to give our children. It’s the one thing they can carry with them each and every day. If love could take shape it might look something like these heartfelt words and images from the inimitable Nancy Tillman. Here is a book to share with your loved ones, no matter how near or far, young or old, they are.


Love Is

Love Is: (Illustrated Story Book about Caring for Others, Book About Love for Parents and Children, Rhyming Picture Book)

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Published: January 24, 2017

This beautifully illustrated book tells the heartwarming story of a little girl and a duckling, who both grow to understand what it means to care for each other as they learn that love is as much about letting go as it is about holding on. A little girl finds a duckling who has wandered away from the park onto the city streets, and takes it home to care for it. The baby duck requires constant attention—early morning feedings, bathing, and tidying—until the time comes to say goodbye. When her pet has grown too big for the bath, the girl takes the full-grown duck back to the pond. Afterward, she misses it and wonders if it remembers her. One day, the duck comes back—with six ducklings of her own.


I Love You and Cheese Pizza

I Love You and Cheese Pizza: A story about the meaning of love (Pig In Jeans)

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Published: July 14, 2021

Brian, the pig in jeans, thinks all he loves is cheese pizza! All this time, he has been showing love in many different ways without knowing! Celebrate the true meaning of love in this hilarious best-selling series!


More Than Balloons

More Than Balloons Read-Along

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Published: April 4, 2017

Balloons love the moon, and a tuba loves a tune, but these don’t compare to the love we have for you.

Award-winning poet Lorna Crozier uses evocative rhyme, complemented by Rachelle Anne Miller’s whimsical imagery, to provide babies and toddlers with common concepts that explain just how great love is.


Love, Z

Love, Z

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Published: December 18, 2018

When a small robot named Z discovers a message in a bottle signed “Love, Beatrice,” they decide to find out what “love” means. Unable to get an answer from the other robots, they leave to embark on an adventure that will lead them to Beatrice—and back home again, where love was hiding all along.


I Love You Because I Love You

I Love You Because I Love You

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Published: January 18, 2022

“I love you because you tell the best stories.

Because I love you, my best story is you.”

What are all the big and small reasons why we love the people we do? And what does it look like when we voice it out loud?

To be read aloud by one or even two people, this affirming prose demonstrates that love is a dialogue. Love is complex. Love is utterly simple.

This is what love looks like.


Love, Violet

Love, Violet

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Published: January 4, 2022

Only one person
makes Violet’s heart skip

Of all the kids in Violet’s class, only one leaves her speechless: Mira, the girl with the cheery laugh who races like the wind. If only they could adventure together! But every time Violet tries to tell Mira how she feels, Violet goes shy. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Violet is determined to tell Mira just how special she is.


Love in the Library

Love in the Library

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Published: February 8, 2022

To fall in love is already a gift. But to fall in love in a place like Minidoka, a place built to make people feel like they weren’t human—that was miraculous.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Tama is sent to live in a War Relocation Center in the desert. All Japanese Americans from the West Coast—elderly people, children, babies—now live in prison camps like Minidoka. To be who she is has become a crime, it seems, and Tama doesn’t know when or if she will ever leave. Trying not to think of the life she once had, she works in the camp’s tiny library, taking solace in pages bursting with color and light, love and fairness. And she isn’t the only one. George waits each morning by the door, his arms piled with books checked out the day before. As their friendship grows, Tama wonders: Can anyone possibly read so much? Is she the reason George comes to the library every day? Maggie Tokuda-Hall’s beautifully illustrated, elegant love story features a photo of the real Tama and George—the author’s grandparents—along with an afterword and other back matter for readers to learn more about a time in our history that continues to resonate.


Dear Girl

Dear Girl,: A Celebration of Wonderful, Smart, Beautiful You!

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Published: December 26, 2017

Dear Girl, is a love letter written for the special girl in your life; a gentle reminder that she’s powerful, strong, and holds a valuable place in the world.

Through Amy and Paris’s charming text and Holly Hatam’s stunning illustrations, any girl reading this book will feel that she’s great just the way she is—whether she enjoys jumping in a muddy puddle, has a face full of freckles, or dances on table tops.

Dear Girl, encourages girls to always be themselves and to love who they are—inside and out.

Dear Girl,

This book is for you.

Wonderful, smart, beautiful you.

If you ever need a reminder, just turn to any page in this book and know that you are special and you are loved.

—Amy and Paris


The Love Letter

The Love Letter

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Published: October 8, 2019

Fall in love with this endearing and adorable picture book that illustrates how a little bit of heart goes a long way to making the world a better place.

Hedgehog, Bunny, and Squirrel are best friends. One day, they each find a letter. But not just any letter…

A love letter. 

My word!

            My whiskers!

                        Aww, nuts!

Someone loves them. But who? The answer may surprise you!

Celebrated author Anika Aldamuy Denise and beloved illustrator Lucy Ruth Cummins deliver this heartwarming tale about a wonderful mix-up that reminds us of the joys of friendship.

Makes for a perfect Valentine’s Day gift, or for any time you want to tell someone in your life how much you love them!


Dear Boy

Dear Boy,: A Celebration of Cool, Clever, Compassionate You!

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Published: April 23, 2019

With the same tenderness as Dear Girl, Paris and Jason’s charming text and Holly Hatam’s stunning illustrations will make any boy reading this book feel that he’s amazing just the way he is—whether he’s offering a helping hand, singing in a choir, or reaching for the stars.

…be kind

…always trust magic

…and pursue your dreams.


Emma

Emma: A BabyLit® Emotions Primer (BabyLit Books)

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Published: August 1, 2015

Step into the drama filled world of Jane Austen’s Emma: A BabyLit Emotions Primer. Your little one will learn about the meddling Emma Woodhouse, who takes it upon herself to become the village matchmaker, creating all sorts of feelings in others. Her friend’s emotions include Mr. Elton being angry, Miss Taylor becoming happy, while Jane Fairfax is tired.


This Is Not a Valentine

This Is Not a Valentine: (Valentines Day Gift for Kids, Children's Holiday Books)

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Published: December 26, 2017

This book is not a valentine. It doesn’t have lacey edges or sugary hearts. But it is full of lucky rocks, secret hiding spots, and gumball machine treasures. This is a book about waiting in line and wishing for cinnamon buns. About recognizing that if you care so much about someone not thinking you care, maybe you really do. But wait—isn’t that exactly what love is about? Maybe this book is sort of a valentine after all. A testament to handmade, wacky, bashful, honest love—sure to win over the hearts of all readers—this offering from debut picture book author Carter Higgins and children’s book veteran Lucy Ruth Cummins is the perfect gift to celebrate every relationship, from parent to child, sibling to sibling, partner to partner, crush to crush.


A Little Spot of Love

A Little SPOT of Love (Inspire to Create A Better You!)

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Published: October 3, 2019

Everyone NEEDS to be loved! Sometimes its hard to figure out how to LOVE someone the way they want to be LOVED! This fun story visualizes LOVE as a fun PINK spot and it guides you through all the ways you can express love, from listening to being kind. so any child can see how to grow their LOVE SPOT!


I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home

I'll Love You Till the Cows Come Home

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Published: December 18, 2018

I’ll Love You Till the Cows Come Home isfilled with warm, funny art and rhythmic, romping text, perfect for curling up with your little one at the end of the day…or anytime you want to express your love.

I will love you till the cows come home from a trip to Mars through skies unknown, in a rocket ship made of glass and stone… I will love you till the cows come home.


I Love You Through and Through

I Love You Through and Through (Caroline Jayne Church)

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Published: September 25, 2018

I love your hair and eyes,Your giggles and cries…A toddler and his teddy bear illustrate a young child’s happy side, sad side, silly side, mad side, and more!Babies and toddlers will feel loved all over when they hear this declaration of adoration and affection. A perfect first book for toddlers with sturdy cardstock pages and a padded cover with rounded corners for safe handling by little ones.


In My Heart: A Book of Feelings

In My Heart: A Book of Feelings (Growing Hearts)

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Published: October 14, 2014

Happiness, sadness, bravery, anger, shyness . . . our hearts can feel so many feelings! Some make us feel as light as a balloon, others as heavy as an elephant. In My Heart explores a full range of emotions, describing how they feel physically, inside, with language that is lyrical but also direct to empower readers to practice articulating and identifying their own emotions.


Friends Are Friends, Forever

Friends Are Friends, Forever

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Published: January 4, 2022

On a snowy Lunar New Year’s Eve in Northeastern China, it’s Dandan’s last night with Yueyue. Tomorrow, she moves to America. The two best friends have a favorite wintertime tradition: crafting paper-cut snowflakes, freezing them outside, and hanging them as ornaments.

As they say goodbye, Yueyue presses red paper and a spool of thread into Dandan’s hands so that she can carry on their tradition. But in her new home, Dandan has no one to enjoy the gift with―until a friend comes along.


Viking in Love by Doug Cenko

Viking in Love

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Published: December 14, 2021

Stig is your quintessential Viking guy. He loves fresh air, stew, and adorable kittens . . . but he hates the sea. Ingrid is your quintessential Viking gal. She loves all of the above and the sea. What happens when Stig sees Ingrid? Of course, he falls head over heels. But there is one significant problem that stands in their way: the sea.

Will Stig find a way to overcome his fears and woo the bold and beautiful Ingrid? Only if he uses his Viking ingenuity . . . and a few kittens.


Group Hug

Group Hug

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Published: December 14, 2021

There once was a slug, / needing someone to hug.

When Slug happens upon a lonely beetle, he knows just what to do. He gives him a big hug―and then the two friends decide to pass it along. They meet Mouse, who’s down in the dumps, Skunk, who’s a bit smelly, and more and more animals, until their group hug stretches wide and tall. But when Bear comes along, will there be enough hug to share? This delightful picture book encourages kindness and goes to show “that a hugger finds happiness ‘longside the hugged!”


I Am Love: A Book of Compassion

I Am Love: A Book of Compassion (I Am Books)

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Published: September 17, 2019

Love means showing kindness, living with gratitude, and taking care of our minds and bodies. Letting our hearts lead the way can help move us closer to a better world.

From the bestselling team that created I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Human, and I Am One comes a celebration of love in all its forms. Grounded in mindfulness and wellness, I Am Love asks readers to look inward when they feel afraid, angry, hurt, or sad. When a storm is brewing inside us and the skies grow dark, the transformative power of love lets the light back in.


That’s Me Loving You by Amy Krouse

That's Me Loving You

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Published: December 27, 2016

Wherever you are,
Wherever you go,
Always remember
And always know. . .

That feeling you always have in your heart?
That’s me loving you.


Worm loves Worm

Worm Loves Worm

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Published: January 5, 2016

You are cordially invited to celebrate the wedding of a worm…and a worm.

When a worm meets a special worm and they fall in love, you know what happens next: They get married! But their friends want to know—who will wear the dress? And who will wear the tux?

The answer is: It doesn’t matter. Because worm loves worm.


How Do You Say I Love You?

How Do You Say I Love You?

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Published: December 5, 2017

“I love you” may sound different around the world, but the meaning is the same. From China, to France, to Russia, to Brazil, and beyond, this charming board book features “I love you” in ten different languages. Tapping into the emotions that parents feel for their children, the rhyming text is accompanied by sweet artwork that depicts different cultures around the world.


There they are: 30+ picture books about love! Which of these books have you read? What did I miss?

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30+ Adorable Picture Books About Love

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Afoma
✨how ‘bout a little virtual reality?✨

☀️ Addie has reluctantly moved across the country with her dad for his summer job in the virtual reality industry. He's working on research to use VR for therapeutic purposes, such as helping people cultivate empathy. Addie is not into VR, but that starts to change when she meets Matteo another kid on campus, and tries out VR on her own. Eventually, the two find a helpful use for VR that helps other people.

🥽 I loved the illustration style in this one and while I found the VR setting a bit disorienting, I appreciated the unique lens of the story. The graphic novel format works brilliantly for helping readers appreciate the power of VR. I think with text, it would have just been too much “world-building.” This is more engaging and exciting for kids.

🐢 Lo and Behold is a clever middle grade graphic novel about virtual reality, grief, and parental addiction. Readers who enjoy VR will love this one, but as the Author's Note mentions, it will also be a fantastic introduction for those who, like me, aren't familiar with it. A fun summer read with hints of serious themes.

#mglit #middlegrade #bookstagram
✨surprisingly heartwarming middle grade✨ 🗺 ✨surprisingly heartwarming middle grade✨

🗺️ Ginny’s summer is thrown off when her dad gets a surprise redeployment in the middle of their family’s moving to another city. Then, her geography camp gets canceled. Her sister seems to be making new friends, but no one appears to like Ginny–even when she starts her own geography camp. 

❤️ I loved this book way more than I thought I would (from the synopsis). Ginny has such a great voice and she isn’t always the most likable character but she’s always real. I loved watching her grow throughout the story.

📍This sweet, unique young middle grade book made my heart grow and ache for Ginny and her family as they navigated a season of change. Features illustrations and a new geography fact in each chapter.

#amreading #mglit #middlegrade
My current adult reads! HAPPY TRAVELER is a non- My current adult reads! 

HAPPY TRAVELER is a non-fiction title about making travel work for you and creating enjoyable, memorable experiences. So far, I’m enjoying the author’s musings on travel.

HELLO BEAUTIFUL is a bookstagram darling (need I say more?) and I already know I’ll be reading it for a while. It’s one of those books that really forces you to slow down. The writing is so tender; it feels like the author loves her characters ❤️

#bookstagram #amreading #readersofinstagram
✨growing up is full of bumps on the way✨ 🤓 ✨growing up is full of bumps on the way✨

🤓 Sixth grade is off to a rocky start for Rex. His district moved most of his elementary school to another middle school, his best friend ditches him for the popular crew, and his blurry vision means he has to get clunky new glasses–the only kind his family can afford. 

❤️ This sweet graphic novel for fans of Telgemeier is an ode to middle school, family, and finding your people.

#graphicnovel #middleschoolbooks #kidlit
Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find Do you like to hop on the “buzz train”? I find that buzzy books are often worth the hype. Even the few people who dislike them tend to have STRONG feelings about them 👀 which to me is a sign that the story got to you somehow. Of course, not every book is for every reader — hype or not. I share my tip for finding a hyped book that matches your reading tastes.

Which hyped books did you love? And which ones missed the mark for you?

#reader #bookstagram #unpopularopinions
✨a different kind of sunshine✨ I loved this g ✨a different kind of sunshine✨

I loved this graphic memoir about the author’s time as a counselor at a camp for kids with cancer. It was my first time reading anything by this author and I totally get the appeal.

This one didn’t end up being as sad as I thought it would be but it was very moving, especially because Krosoczka shares newspaper clippings and pictures of one the families with whom he forged a particularly close relationship even until his college years.

If you’re looking for an engaging graphic memoir for older kids ages 11+ this is a great choice.

#graphicnovel #kidlit #yareader
✨a devastating debut✨ This book! Brilliantly ✨a devastating debut✨

This book! Brilliantly written, impressive characterization, and a plot so unexpected. It left me physically shaken (it's not feel-good), but it feels so necessary, so timely. A solid debut about the search for the great American Dream, familial sacrifices, and confronting our ugly inner selves -- all in less than 300 pages. 

You'll like this if you like:

Multiple perspectives (3 perspectives, 3rd person POV)
Character-driven stories
Time-jumping plots
Devastating endings

If you prefer straightforward, plot-rich, fast-paced stories, you might struggle a bit with this one at the start. But it's worth it!

#bookstagram #amreading #fiction
☀️ Meet the Bookstagrammer ☀️ Hi, new fol ☀️ Meet the Bookstagrammer ☀️

Hi, new followers! It’s such a pleasure to have a few new faces around. I love finding new readers to follow on the gram. 

My name is Afoma and I run a book blog called Reading Middle Grade. I also run a Facebook Group and newsletter related to my blog. In my day job, I’m a freelance writer and editor, with a degree in medicine.

I’ve lived in three continents (born in Nigeria, med school in Ukraine and the Caribbean). I live in Nigeria now with my husband and many, many books 🤭 I love to cook and travel and run. This year, one of my goals is to become a better runner. I’m currently able to run 2K without stopping. 

Even though we don’t have traditional four seasons in Nigeria, the summer months are my favorite. From childhood, they were the one time when my overachieving, perfectionistic self could RELAX. And do nothing! And even now, I try to take time off in the summer to do nothing.

Some of favorite books this year have been LASAGNA MEANS I LOVE YOU, THE LOST YEAR (I lived in Ukraine for 3 years, so this resonated with me!), and MAAME. 

Thank you so much for following my reading journey! Tell me something about yourself — hobbies, favorite books, anything! ❤️
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