¿Me quieres mamá? O, si Mi Cielo.

Do you know the words berrinche, perreta, rabieta?

If you do, you know a small child with a hard head and you know these are Spanish synonyms for tantrum.

I have a small child with a hard head. And so, I am a woman on the verge of sirimbas with some regularity.

Which brings me to a little book I love to read with Maria on days less than smooth: "¿Me quieres mamá?'' by Barbara M. Joosse and beautifully illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. The English version is titled: "Mama, do you love me? Yes, I do, Dear One."

The book, a true classic, was published in English in 1991 and translated into Spanish. We have both versions, but I read the Spanish one 99% of the time.

It features an Arctic mother who tells her young daughter that she loves her girl more than a dog loves its tail, more than a whale loves its gusting water spout. The child pushes: What if I dropped and broke our eggs? What if I put a salmon in your parka? What if I extinguished our oil lamp? What if I turned into a mean polar bear?

At every turn, the mother tells her she might get angry, or get afraid, or get worried, but "simpre te querré.'' I will always love you.

"Tú eres me cielo,'' the mother says. "You are my love.'' "Cielo," meaning sky, is a sweet nothing for "love."

When I read that book with my daughter, the words wrap up in their tenderness, a subtle reminder that no matter how difficult our day she is, and always will be, mi cielo.

A definite must for cuddling with children ages 2 to 6, and beyond.