SOME BABIES

A wry and winsome reality infuses this anti-bedtime story, which sounds as though it could have been transcribed from life, only better. Mommy tucks Baby in with Bear, blanket, and bottle, but Baby isn’t ready. Baby wants Mommy to talk about babies, and she does, about babies playing in the sprinklers at the park, or messing in the dirt, or putting sticks and paper down the grating. Soon Mommy is babbling about babies who have different color bikes, shirts, and pants and finally she’s too tired to talk (“ ‘my mouth is fuzzy and that’s enough.’ ”) But Baby isn’t done, and goes back through the whole list, questioning whether Mommy will give in on any of the topics. When Mommy dozes off, the relentless toddler yells for Daddy. A profusion of patterns and florals—Mommy’s nightgown, Baby’s window curtains, the kitchen wallpaper—and clear colors make the gouache images very homey indeed. Button-eyed Baby in red jammies with feet is probably about two-and-a-half, like most of the multiethnic cast of kids Mommy conjures up in response to Baby’s request for talk. Very small children will love the lists, and somewhat older children will get a glimpse into the secret life of parenthood. (Picture book. 2-7)