LET'S GO BABY-O!
by Janet McLean & illustrated by Andrew McLean
Dance, sing and look around!
A mother and her baby dance and sing together while looking out the window into the vibrant garden below over the course of a few hours. The whimsical chant-and-play pages are replete with onomatopoeia ("Let's go, baby-o, / you and me. / To the wibble, / To the wobble, / To the cha-cha-cha," they chant as they imitate a cat about to pounce). They alternate with a depiction of the mother and her son looking into the garden, accompanied by the lines, “Look out the window. What can you see?” Young readers will find the goings-on in the garden hard to resist, as they spot the different actions, changes and details. This tale is meant to be interactive, and adult readers are encouraged to create their own jingles and dances and to question their youngsters in a note on the first page. Colorful illustrations with just the right amount of detail contrast the cozy indoor world of mother and son with that of the riotous garden outside. Though the rhythm here is sometimes a little bumpy and uneven, this simple and understated selection is a good choice for encouraging the young to dance, sing, observe and comment on the world around them.
Look around and see all there is to see! (Picture book. 2-4)