The story shows all of the ways a mother loves and cares for her children while also needing to take care of herself.
Sloan writes what mothers feel: “This mama needs a minute.” There are books that prepare children for their first day of school, potty training, siblings, and many of life’s earliest milestones. In that tradition, Sloan’s book shows kids how mothers can both love and care for them and also need a little space. She writes, “It doesn’t mean I love you less. Sometimes it just means Mama needs to get dressed.” Truer words have never been written. Sloan simultaneously affirms a mother’s love while also deftly explaining that it’s OK for love to need boundaries—for parents, yes, but also for kids. The comics-style illustrations hit home, like the stubble-legged mama trying to snag a minute to shower. This goes beyond ringing chords with adult readers; it also provides concrete examples of when mama needs that minute. The palette includes pinks, greens, and bright blues, and all of the characters have skin of many nonhuman colors; hair is likewise fancifully colored but always straight. Many of the moms have visible tattoos, a refreshingly realistic detail.
A must-read for mothers of young children (and their kids, too). (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5248-5457-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Andrews McMeel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Babies can do lots of things, as these winsome tots demonstrate in a catchy, rhythmic ode to the activities—and charm—of the very young. Ormerod’s round-faced youngsters vary in age from infants to toddlers and are thoroughly irresistible. Simply portrayed in soft pastel hues with just enough detail, these boys and girls frolic and wiggle, play and observe, stretch and cuddle throughout the pages. There are only children, brothers and sisters and even a set of twins, all from a variety of racial backgrounds. The rhyming couplets are just right for encouraging even very young children to listen for variations in the sounds of words: "This itsy-bitsy baby twiddles her toes. / That itsy-bitsy baby wrinkles up his nose." As the energetic text bounces along, the youngest listeners will delight in recognizing their own behaviors, while slightly older siblings-to-be will be encouraged by what they can anticipate as baby grows. Full of warmth and fun, appealing visuals and gentle humor, this is a marvelous book to read while gently bouncing a baby or young child on your knee. (Picture book. 2-4)
Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-921541-36-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Hare/Trafalgar
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2010
Categories: CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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