BABY BOWIE

Though this and other titles in the Baby Rocker series seem aimed more at aging rocker parents than at toddlers, it’s undeniably charming.

The Onion once ran a story headlined, “Cool Dad Raising Daughter on Media That Will Put Her Entirely out of Touch With Her Generation.” The Baby Rocker books arouse a similar sense of irony despite being quite good for what they are. Both this David Bowie–themed celebration of adjectives and its companion volume, Baby KISS: A Book About Colors, are visual delights, bursting with bright hues and simple but stylized renderings of the critical iconography of both acts. Bowie’s “SPIKY hair” (with eye patch) and “SHINY lightning bolt” (à la Aladdin Sane) and KISS’ “BLACK-AND-WHITE face paint” and Gene Simmons’ “PINK tongue” all feature prominently, for example. One stumble: using the phrase “SMOOTH costume” to describe an outfit that Bowie fans will instantly recognize from the Ziggy Stardust era. While in photos the outfit is clearly shiny and reflective (and, therefore, smooth), it’s hard for anyone, child or adult, to infer that from this matte cartoon rendering. Bowie’s “THICK eyeliner” may prompt conversations about gender presentation. But the fundamental question is whether kids should be reading about contemporary acts or about their caregivers’ heroes? Will there be a Baby Rappers series, too?

With its companion, fun for music-loving tots whose grown-ups like these artists.