UTTERLY LOVELY ONE

There are many lovely babies in the world, but only one belongs to Mama…

A mother bird lovingly introduces her child to various creatures, great and small, in this paean to baby animals of the Australian variety. All are "utterly lovely" and unique in one way or another; Frilled Lizard is "perky even in the midday sun"; Elephant has gentle eyes and a wonderful nose; Snail is "slow and careful"; and Crocodile has "a grin that takes up his whole head." Most animals have their own spreads, and while the descriptions focus on the animal’s attributes, they sometimes branch out to anthropomorphism. Armadillo, for example, is "usually so shy… [but] suddenly brave enough to make friends." All is safe, comforting and positive in this pastel-hued animal world. American readers may not be familiar with numbats or bush babies, but the simple ink-and-watercolor illustrations show the right amount of detail to provide a visual and pique children’s interests. Though the text feels a bit cloying at times and is occasionally overwhelmed by the use of exclamation marks, it is infused with warmth and affection, much like the sound of a mother’s voice.

A nice choice to share at bedtime or cuddled close, this provides a good introduction to animal babies for the youngest children, who will recognize the differing fledglings as being not unlike themselves.