English editionA very big no. A very small hero.
Dinner is ready. A little voice says no. And Amor has an idea… A warm, funny picture book about taking the time to listen.
A little story. A lovely moment together.
Little paws.So much love.
Amor is a series of picture books for children aged 3–8 about one little kitten, a family to love and storytimes to look forward to.
Stories for little ones, ages 3–8
Written by Samaher Thabit and Martin Törnell, the stories follow a curious kitten and his family through life’s big feelings, from a very big “no” at dinner to birthdays and the dark. Book 1, Amor and the Great Big NO!, is on Amazon in five languages.
What language would you like to read in?
Choose your language. We’ll remember it for next time.
English editionMake yourself at home
Small paws. Big ideas. And a family to come home to.
Read the greeting
Welcome home to Amor. Here lives a little kitten with little paws and big ideas. Settle in beside Jennifer, Mary and James, open the book and discover the story together: Amor and the Great Big NO!
AmorJenniferThe childMaryMumJamesDad
Can you find Amor?
What has Amor spotted? There’s a little discovery waiting in the pictures.
Four little beginnings. A whole world to discover.
Life’s big feelings, through a little kitten’s eyes. Open a cover and peek inside.
AMOR and the Big BIRTHDAY
Book 2Amor and the Cloud That Followed
Book 3AMOR and the Daring Dark
Book 428 stories + 5 special books planned
Amor at a glance
The essential facts about the Amor picture-book series, in plain words.
Last updated:
- What it is
- A series of illustrated picture books about a curious kitten named Amor and the family he lives with
- Authors
- Samaher Thabit and Martin Törnell
- Age
- 3–8 years; shared reading is best from about age 3
- Format
- Paperback, 32 pages, 210 × 280 mm, full-colour illustrations
- Book 1
- Amor and the Great Big NO!, published 15 September 2026
- Book 1 languages
- English, Swedish, German, Spanish and French (more editions in preparation)
- Themes
- Big feelings, listening, birthdays, gloomy days, the dark
- Reading time
- About ten minutes for the story, plus time for the picture riddles
- Where to buy
- Amazon; every purchase link is in the table below
- Series plan
- 28 stories and 5 special books are planned; Books 2–4 are in preparation
| Book | Title | Letter | What it is about | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AMOR AND THE GREAT BIG NO! | A | Listening, and the small thing behind a big “no” | Available now |
| 2 | AMOR and the Big BIRTHDAY | B | A child turns four and the party feels too big | In preparation |
| 3 | Amor and the Cloud That Followed | C | A gloomy day and being loved just as you are | In preparation |
| 4 | AMOR and the Daring Dark | D | Fear of the dark, made smaller together | In preparation |
| Language | Title | ISBN-13 | Published | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | AMOR AND THE GREAT BIG NO! | 979-8-17459520-0 | Amazon.se Amazon.com | |
| Svenska | AMOR OCH ETT JÄTTESTORT NEJ! | 978-91-992334-3-7 | Amazon.se | |
| Deutsch | AMOR UND DAS RIESENGROSSE NEIN! | 978-91-992334-2-0 | Amazon.de | |
| Español | AMOR Y EL GRAN ¡NO! | 978-91-992334-5-1 | Amazon.es | |
| Français | AMOR ET LE GRAND NON ! | 978-91-992334-6-8 | Amazon.fr |
Who writes Amor
- Samaher ThabitChildren’s book author
Mother of two with a background in television; she worked on several TV talk shows for MBC. She brings the warmth and gentle humour of family life into the books.
- Martin TörnellAuthor and entrepreneur
From Borås, Sweden, with more than 20 years of experience in leadership and IT. He builds Amor’s world together with Samaher, one book at a time.
Meet Amor and his family
Amor is a small orange-and-white kitten with little white paws and big ideas. He lives with Jennifer and her parents, Mary and James. The family only hears his meows, but readers get to hear what he is thinking.
- Amor
- The curious kitten and hero of every story. His thoughts appear in small labels.
- Jennifer
- The child at the heart of each story and its big feelings.
- Mary and James
- Jennifer’s parents, who listen and take the time to understand.
About the pictures
The books use soft, warm digital illustrations with a watercolour feel. Every spread hides small details to find, so children can look closely, point and tell the story in their own words.
Amor is a fictional character created by Samaher Thabit and Martin Törnell. The word amor also means love in Latin, Spanish and Portuguese.
A little movie moment. Just for you.
Pull up a cushion. Amor has something to show you.
Read the film transcript
Amor and the Great Big NO! NO! This dinner needed a hero. Who was that… staring back at him? He tilted his head… so did the stranger! Amor had a brilliant idea… A mouse for dinner? Oh, Amor! Tonight’s bedtime story, for mum and her little girl: Amor and the Great Big NO! On Amazon now.
A little friend to grow with.
From the first great big no to birthdays, cloudy days and brave nights. Follow Amor and his family through a planned series of 28 stories and 5 special books.
28+5
The booksHow to read Amor together
Five gentle steps for a read-aloud that turns a story into a conversation.
- Find a cosy spot and look at the cover together. Ask who the little kitten might be.
- Read slowly and let your child look at every picture. Amor’s own thoughts appear in small labels, so give them a playful voice.
- Pause where something changes in the pictures and ask: “What did Amor notice?”
- After the story, talk about the feeling: “How did Mum help Jennifer?” Let your child answer in their own words.
- When your child feels like it, try the picture riddles and the letter game. There is no need to finish everything in one evening.
What each book talks about
Every story starts from one everyday feeling and ends with a question you can ask your child.
AMOR AND THE GREAT BIG NO!
Dinner is ready, but Jennifer says “NO!”. Amor investigates and discovers that a big no can hide something small and hard to explain.
Saying no is a normal part of growing independence in the preschool years. When an adult listens instead of insisting, the child learns that feelings can be spoken and heard.
Ask your child: What did Amor notice? How did Mum help Jennifer?
Read an excerpt
Mum set Jennifer’s plate in front of her.
The rice, peas and carrots were piled up
into an enormous mountain.
Jennifer took one look and shook her head.
“NO!”
Jennifer said.
Amor’s ears shot up and his whiskers quivered.
A “no” like that could mean only one thing:
this dinner needed a hero.
Amor: Stand back! I’ll save dinner!
AMOR and the Big BIRTHDAY
Jennifer turns four and hides under the table at her own party. Sometimes joy is simply too loud.
Big excitement can overwhelm young children. Noticing it and taking a break is part of emotion regulation, a skill that develops through early childhood (Cole et al., 2004).
Ask your child: Where do you go when everything feels too much?
Read an excerpt
Amor dipped one paw into the icing.
He licked it clean — almost.
Then he sat up very straight.
Amor: The icing has been tested. It passed.
Amor and the Cloud That Followed
A little cloud follows Jennifer everywhere. Amor learns that she can be loved just as she is, cloud and all.
Families that talk about feelings help children understand their own and other people’s emotions later on (Dunn et al., 1991). A gloomy day becomes something that can be named and shared.
Ask your child: What helps you on a cloudy day?
Read an excerpt
Amor had a plan.
Whenever he felt gloomy,
a good pounce usually helped.
He crept behind the cushion.
Front paws down.
Bottom up.
Wiggle. Wiggle. Wiggle.
Prepare to be amazed.
AMOR and the Daring Dark
The lamp goes out and the room gets dark. Amor becomes a night detective and shows that the dark gets smaller when you face it together.
Fear of the dark is a common fear in the preschool years. A calm adult, a shared routine and a story that makes the dark smaller can help children feel safe.
Ask your child: What helps you feel brave at bedtime?
Read an excerpt
Amor settled across her feet.
Warm. Soft. Purring.
Then let’s make it smaller. Together.
Ideas for home, preschool and the classroom
Simple ways to keep the story going after the last page.
- Bedtime: read one book as a bedtime story and finish with the question from the guide above.
- Picture hunt: look for Amor’s small details in the pictures and count them together.
- Letter game: play the capital A and small a game at the end of Book 1, then spot those letters around the house.
- Feelings chat: ask your child to show Amor’s feeling with their face, then talk about a time they felt the same.
- Drawing: draw Amor on a day when you felt a big feeling.
- Circle time: read one spread aloud and let each child say what Amor noticed.
Reading Amor in two languages
Book 1 exists in English, Swedish, German, Spanish and French with the same story. Families with two languages can read both editions and compare words side by side.
Questions and answers about Amor
Short answers to the questions parents, teachers and librarians ask most often.
What is Amor?
Amor is a series of illustrated picture books for children aged 3–8 about a curious kitten and the family he lives with. The stories are written by Samaher Thabit and Martin Törnell and are made for reading aloud together.
What age are the Amor books for?
The Amor books are for children aged 3 to 8. Children from about 3 to 6 enjoy them most as shared reading with a grown-up, and early readers can explore the pictures and riddles on their own.
What is Amor and the Great Big NO! about?
Dinner is ready, but Jennifer says “NO!”. Amor investigates, brings his finest cloth mouse and finally spots a tiny toy plate that gives him an idea. It is a warm, funny story about noticing small things and taking the time to listen, followed by three picture riddles and a letter game with capital A and small a.
Who writes the Amor books?
Samaher Thabit and Martin Törnell write them together. Samaher is a mother of two who worked on TV talk shows for MBC, and Martin is an author and entrepreneur from Borås, Sweden, with more than 20 years in leadership and IT.
Where can I buy the Amor books, and in which languages?
Book 1 is sold as a paperback on Amazon in English, Swedish, German, Spanish and French. Every purchase link is on this page, and more language editions are in preparation.
How many Amor books are there, and when does the next one come?
One book is published so far: Book 1. Books 2–4 (Big Birthday, The Cloud That Followed and The Daring Dark) are in preparation, and the series is planned to grow to 28 stories and 5 special books. Release dates will be shown on this page once they are set.
What do the Amor stories help children with?
They give children and parents words for everyday big feelings, such as saying no, feeling shy at a party, having a gloomy day or being afraid of the dark. In every story a grown-up listens, and the books invite you to talk about the feeling afterwards.
How long does it take to read an Amor book?
Most families need about ten minutes for a first read-aloud, plus extra time for hunting for hidden details in the pictures and solving the riddles.
Can I try a book before I buy it?
Yes. Press “Open & read” on this page to read the first spreads of Book 1 for free. You can also watch the short film and hear the family’s welcome in your language.
Which languages is the Amor website available in?
The website is available in English, Swedish, Spanish, Simplified Chinese, Hindi, Italian, Filipino, German, French and Arabic. Choose your language in the top bar or in the flag row.
How can I contact the authors?
Use the contact form on this page to send a question, an idea, a wish or just a hello. You can also write to martin.f.tornell@gmail.com.
Why read picture books about big feelings together?
Reading aloud with a grown-up gives children words for feelings in a safe moment, and the American Academy of Pediatrics links regular shared reading to stronger language, literacy and social-emotional skills. A story also lets a child look at a feeling from a distance before it feels too big.
Are the Amor books right for every child?
They suit children who enjoy looking at pictures and talking about what happens. Children under 3 may prefer sturdier board books and shorter sessions, and children over 8 may enjoy reading Amor aloud to a younger sibling. If a topic is difficult for your child, skip ahead and come back to it later.
Who is Amor, the kitten?
Amor is the fictional orange-and-white kitten at the heart of the series. He lives with Jennifer and her parents, and readers hear his thoughts in small labels while the family only hears meows.
Which Amor book should I start with?
Start with Book 1, Amor and the Great Big NO!, because it introduces Amor and his family. Books 2–4 are in preparation.
How much do the Amor books cost?
Amazon sets the price in each country and shows it on the product page, so it can differ between stores. Every edition links to its own page in the table above.
Are the Amor books a good gift?
Yes, for children aged 3–8 and their families. Book 1 is a 32-page full-colour paperback that works as a bedtime story, a birthday gift or a first book about feelings.
Can teachers and librarians use Amor for group reading?
Yes. Each spread can be read aloud in circle time, and the pictures and questions invite every child to take part. The guide above lists ideas for preschool and classroom use.
How is Amor different from other picture books about feelings?
Amor lets readers hear a small kitten’s own thoughts while the family hears only meows, and every story includes an adult who listens. Book 1 also exists in five languages with the same story.
Why reading aloud and talking about feelings helps
The Amor books are made for shared reading. This is what the research says about it.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends reading aloud with children from infancy and notes that regular shared reading builds language, literacy and social-emotional skills. [1]
- A pediatric programme that promoted reading aloud and play was followed by lasting positive effects on children’s behaviour at school entry. [2]
- In a randomised study, children’s language scores improved when parents asked open questions while reading picture books, a method called dialogic reading (Whitehurst et al., 1988). [3]
References
- High PC, Klass P; Council on Early Childhood. Literacy Promotion: An Essential Component of Primary Care Pediatric Practice. Pediatrics. 2014;134(2):404–409. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24962987/
- Mendelsohn AL, Cates CB, Weisleder A, et al. Reading Aloud, Play, and Social-Emotional Development. Pediatrics. 2018;141(5):e20173393. pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/141/5/e20173393
- Whitehurst GJ, Falco FL, Lonigan CJ, et al. Accelerating language development through picture book reading. Developmental Psychology. 1988;24(4):552–559. psycnet.apa.org/record/1989-02401-001
- Cole PM, Martin SE, Dennis TA. Emotion regulation as a scientific construct: methodological challenges and directions for child development research. Child Development. 2004;75(2):317–333. doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2004.00673.x
- Dunn J, Brown J, Beardsall L. Family talk about feeling states and children’s later understanding of others’ emotions. Developmental Psychology. 1991;27(3):448–455. doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.27.3.448
Cite this page
Thabit, S., & Törnell, M. (2026). Amor – Picture Books About a Curious Kitten, Ages 3–8. Amorstory.se. https://amorstory.se/en/ (last updated 2026-10-01).
Shall Amor come home with you?
Start with one little kitten and a great big no. Make the rest of storytime your own.
Buy on Amazon
We’d love to hear from you
A question, an idea or something you’d love to see in the next book? Tell us about it.
You can also email usmartin.f.tornell@gmail.com