BABY BUILDERS

A picture book custom-built for construction-site–obsessed tots.

Guest’s rhyming text imagines a workforce of toddlers heading out to work at a construction site. Nakata’s cherubic, pudgy, diverse cast of characters is clearly up for the job—no adults ever appear on the scene to supervise their efforts. These industrious babies don protective gear, wield power tools, and operate heavy machinery across spreads sure to delight real-world readers who dream of such feats as they observe constructions sites from their vantage points in strollers and car seats and on caregivers’ shoulders. And what are these babies building? “ ‘Done at last!’ / builders shout. / ‘Take a look! / Check it out!’ ” reads a spread with cheering, work-worn tots, and then a page turn reveals a cross-section of a magnificent three-story playscape in which the babies enjoy the fruits of their labor. But they’re still just babies, after all, so the closing spreads bring a depiction of cozy nighttime scenes, complete with a bath, jammies, and sweet dreams. Nakata’s tots are adorably pudgy, round little thighs peeking out from diapered bottoms and creasing at the knees. Readers will enjoy spotting the babies’ little animal friends (a mole and some pillbugs) who emerge from the disturbed earth to join in the fun.

A dream-come-true building book for babes in arms.