What I like most is this pencil. It is red outside and red inside. Its colour comes out like a red ribbon. It’s what I like most in the world. Except for...

A little girl tells us about all her favourite things, from her light-up shoes, to hot, steamy chips, to her red pencil. But the girl knows that, even as her feet grow, her plate empties, and her pencil shortens, there’s someone she’ll always love … and that is what she likes the very, very most.

An intimate ode to the unwavering love a child has for their mother, this tender, lyrical story is brought exquisitely to life by Zhu Cheng-Liang, a recipient of a New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award.

"Mary Murphy excels at writing cosy, sweet books which have a hug at their heart, and it’s wonderful to see a Chinese mum and daughter portrayed, too." - BookTrust

"The chorus perfectly evokes the circular nature of the child’s imagination, while Zhu Cheng-Liang’s striking, romantic paintings are full of amusing detail." - The Irish Times – Christmas Books Round-Up

"A gentle, profound book about love – don’t miss it." - The Irish Independent, Children’s Books of the Year

"Zhu Cheng-Liang’s pencil and watercolour drawings complement Murphy’s words beautifully." - The Irish Independent, Top Picks from Elaina Ryan

"An intimate ode to the unwavering love a child has for their mother, this tender, lyrical story is brought exquisitely to life by Zhu Cheng-Liang." - Parent Talk