BAH! SAID THE BABY

A baby’s first word sends mother, brother and sister rushing around to figure out what it means.

Baby, hands up high, triumphantly says, “Bah!” for the very first time. But nobody knows what Baby wants. Mom offers a possible solution: “What is it, Baby? Book? Do you want my book, Baby?” Brother hastens to add, “Ball!…I think Baby wants the ball!” Sister thinks Baby wants her bow. But as each family member expectantly holds out his or her item, Baby just looks puzzled. Then Baby says it again. “Bah!” The family offers another round of possibilities: bunny? Brother? A lamb that says, “baa?” In a particularly brilliant spread that must capture how babies feel all the time, shadows of family members loom, while the poor baby is simply baffled. Why can’t they understand? The family keeps guessing—there are many common baby items that start with the letter “b”—until Baby finally says, “Bah-bah!” With visual context clues—Baby’s arms are always outstretched, and someone is always in the doorway—careful readers just might realize what Baby is really trying to say.

A nifty romp that doubles as a guessing game (with some phonics tied in), this has appeal for large read-aloud crowds as well as siblings who seek a lighter new-baby tale.