9 MONTHS

A month-by-month explanation of fetal development from the fertilization of the egg to just after delivery of a newborn baby.

Designed for adults to share with children, this is a clear depiction of the fetal journey. Each spread covers a month. On verso is a general statement about size and appearance, a comparison to a similarly sized fruit or vegetable, a “did you know” fact about animal baby development, and answers to two other relevant questions. The recto page describes how Mama feels. Mixed-media illustrations include full-page scenes and small vignettes, with figures helpfully edged with a fine black line. The subject mom and child are white, but groups include the variety of races typical of a diversely populated urban area. The text is accurate and informative; the chosen facts have solid child appeal. At 5 months, for example, the baby is the size of an eggplant and “covered in a layer of hair, called lanugo, and also sticky white stuff, known as vernix.” Elephant babies are also covered with hair before they are born. The text and some images in this British import have been edited for the U.S. audience. Further information is provided in two pages of backmatter. The co-authors, parents themselves, run a popular website that includes a parenting blog.

Both appealing and useful for expectant mothers who already have children.