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HOW BIG IS BABY?

Should be helpful in many a household expecting a new baby.

A month-to-month gestational guide for young siblings-to-be.

Beneath the heading “1 month!” a bubbly little kid happily announces: “We’re having a baby!” Over the next several double-page spreads—one for each month of growth—the new baby’s development is explained using various familiar foods to approximate the size of a baby developing in the womb. These comparisons help to make the information accessible to young children. From the first month, when the developing baby is the size of a poppy seed, to the ninth month (the size of a pineapple), children can lift the flap on Mommy’s belly to see the fetus developing. The last spread predictably shows the newborn baby together with Mommy and the proud sibling: “Hello, baby!” The text is simple and direct: “Mommy tries an apple and tells me our baby is this size.” For children ready for a little more information, the inside of the flap provides additional detail: “The baby’s face muscles are working now, which means it can open and close its mouth.” The two main characters are mother and child, with no other family members mentioned or depicted, thus leaving the book unconstrained by family type. Both mother and child have literally yellow skin, but the developing fetus is pink. The mother has black hair and the child red hair.

Should be helpful in many a household expecting a new baby. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: April 6, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-4521-7382-5

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: May 4, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021

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I AM A BIG BROTHER

A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...

A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.

Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.

A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015

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PEPPA'S GIANT PUMPKIN

From the Peppa Pig series

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer.

Peppa hopes to join her classmates in a Halloween pumpkin competition in this adaptation of a story from the popular British television program Peppa Pig.

With the help of Granny and Grandpa Pig, Peppa turns her giant pumpkin, which is the size of a compact car, into a jack-o’-lantern. The trio is flummoxed when it comes time to transport the pumpkin to the competition, so they call on Miss Rabbit and her helicopter to airlift the pumpkin to the festivities as Peppa and her grandparents ride inside. Peppa arrives just in time for the contest and wins the prize for best flying pumpkin. The scenes look as if they are pulled directly from the television show, right down to the rectangular framing of some of the scenes. While the story is literally nothing new, the text is serviceable, describing the action in two to three sentences per page. The pumpkin-shaped book and orange foil cover will likely attract youngsters, whether they are Peppa fans or not.

This TV rerun in board-book form has nothing new to offer. (Board book. 2-4)

Pub Date: July 30, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-338-33922-2

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019

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