TUMMY GIRL

Thong’s observance on the fleeting nature of childhood is wryly sentimental. Energetic verses detail a young girl’s development from babyhood to early childhood with a glance toward the future. With thoughtful reflection, Thong captures each stage of development and wraps it up for readers in sprightly verse that may just bring a tear to the eyes of parents everywhere. From splashy tub times and exuberant self-feedings to increasing independence, Thong neatly balances the poignancy of watching a beloved child grow up with humor. Williams’s charcoal and pastels feature a curly haired, angelic-looking tot evolving from round-bellied infancy to composed girlhood. The addition of digital coloring adds a visual pop to the gentle lines of the sketches. Interspersed among the two-page spreads are pages of playful “photographs” pasted scrapbook-style onto the pages that correlate neatly with the verses and add intrigue to the illustrations. Affecting without being maudlin, Thong’s tale is one for daughters and their families to treasure. (Picture book. 3-5)