BABY BELLY

As mom’s belly gets bigger and bigger, a young child watches and wonders.

In this wordless Spanish import, a young child—just about the height of mom’s belly—goes about a typical toddler routine: playing with toys; pulling a little elephant along in a cart; peeking over the sofa to watch mom reading; brushing teeth; eating; going out—all the while keeping an eye on mom’s growing belly. At one point, intrigued enough, the child tucks a balloon under a striped T-shirt in mimicry. Eventually, an empty crib makes an appearance in the tot’s room, and the child can be seen feeling mom’s belly for movement. Soon enough, there’s a baby in the crib, and mom’s belly has flattened. In the last spread, instead of the toy elephant pulled in the first double-page spread, the new baby is being pulled along in the cart by a very proud-looking older sibling. The gentle, pastel-colored illustrations keep the focus squarely on the child. With no information offered beyond depictions of everyday scenes, the book allows little ones to provide their own narrative, and expecting parents can use it to encourage conversation on the upcoming event. Both mother and child are depicted with white skin and blond hair.

A sweet addition to the new-sibling bookshelf.