HOW BIG IS 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.