Tag: new baby

Spellbound: An Enchanting New Arrival (Jess Townes)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is Spellbound: An Enchanting New Arrival, written by Jess Townes and illustrated by Jennifer Harney, a twist on the classic new baby sibling tale.

Master magician Willow has a perfectly magical life – a loving mom and dad, a beautiful house in the woods, and a faithful pet bunny named Houdini. Willow’s own magic is undeniable: she holds her parents spellbound with her tricks, potions, and transformations. That is, until her baby brother Rowan is born. Suddenly, Willow finds that her spells and charms are being countered by Rowan’s mesmerizing, and perhaps even wizardly, powers. Willow will have to find a way to combat her baby brother’s sorcery, before she falls victim to it herself!

A fresh and magical twist on a classic narrative. Both Harney’s colorful, energetic artwork and Townes’s wink-and-nod text skillfully manage to create a metaphor for the charms of children as magic, while straddling whether Willow and Rowan’s magic is “real.” This metaphor and the ambiguity in the way it is presented makes for a great way to explore that tricky adjustment from only child to older sibling, and Willow is well-written as me sympathetic, even when she is in the wrong (such as when she naively tries to garner attention by taking Rowan’s binky). Add in a heartwarming ending and a great length for storytime, and this makes for a great read. We both really liked this one, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Baby Monster (Andrea Pfeiffer & Erin Barker)

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Hello, friends! Spooky season has officially begun! To celebrate, we’ll be reviewing a spoooooky book every Friday for the month of October. First up: Baby Monster by Andrea Pfeiffer and Erin Barker, a hilarious spin on new parenthood.

On a dark and stormy night, a scientist couple decides that their next experiment should be the creation of a monster – a baby monster, complete with green scaly skin and a long pointy tail. They are successful in their endeavor, and briefly celebrate before quickly realizing the responsibility of having a baby monster: feedings, stinky diapers, overtired tantrums, and massive messes. Yet even as worn out and frazzled as they become, they find themselves enamored of their little monster, especially while cuddling and playing. And when they realize that, despite the stress, their dear little monster has made them a family, they ponder if they should move on the next experiment: a sibling.

Clever and cute. This delightful twist on the classic tale of “bringing home baby” is filled with outrageous comedy that will appeal to both younger readers and their adult caregivers, especially those who remember bringing home their own monster for the first time. The ink-and-watercolor-style illustrations fit the tone of the story perfectly; in particular, the
expressive main characters, from the positively adorable reptilian monster baby to the increasingly exhausted/satisfied parents, even to their possibly Frankenweenie-inspired pet dog, who provides one of the book’s sweetest jokes. There are two times that the phrase “make” is used to reference a baby rather than “have”; it’s not noticeable to young readers, but reading it as an adult elicited a slightly uncomfortable laugh, but that’s a minor quibble. The length is perfect for a storytime, the rhyming text is fun to read aloud, and JJ had a great time with it. This was a fun treat to start out spooky season, and we loved it. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

I Love You, Baby Burrito (Angela Dominguez)

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Hello, friends! Our book today is I Love You, Baby Burrito by Angela Dominguez, a charming bilingual book for welcoming a family’s newest addition.

“¡Hola, bebé!” begins this adorable read, as the artwork shows a mother and father arriving home with their newborn baby. The parents address their little one directly, introducing the baby to their home, themselves, and fawning over the baby’s little carita, manitas, and deditos. After a quick meal and snuggles, bebé is swaddled for a nap – like a burrito – and wished buenas noches.

Cozy, comforting, and sweet. A universal experience of bringing baby home for the first time is given a very welcome bilingual update through the use of Spanglish in the text; while some Spanish words are followed immediately with English translations, many are not, leaving illustrations to give context clues for non-Spanish speakers. It’s a wonderful way to create a unique narrative for English-Spanish bilingual families without leaving monolinguals stumped, and there’s even a full glossary with pronunciations in the endpapers. Illustrations are bright and rich in color, yet simple and soothing enough for very young eyes, and the affection between the parent and baby characters is heartwarming. The length is perfect for a quick read, and JJ absolutely loved this one – she is learning Spanish in school and loved the seamless integration of the Spanish vocabulary. Overall, this one is a real treat for any reader, especially bilingual Latinx families. Baby Bookworm approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

Go To Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons From the Fog of New Parenthood (Lucy Knisley)

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Hello friends, and Happy Mother’s Day! As a special treat, today’s review is one for the moms: Go To Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons From the Fog of New Parenthood by Lucy Knisley.

In this delightful collection of sketches and one- to four-panel cartoons – conceptualized and created during the first few years of her son’s life – graphic novelist Knisley captures the highs and lows – and REALLY lows and lunacies and laughter and tears and in-betweens – of new motherhood. Capturing hilariously specific and relatable aspects of this adjustment period, such as bizarre search histories (“How Many Poops Normal Baby?”), the endless stickiness of one’s inner elbow, the pride/exhaustion of watching them discover the world, and an entire chapter titled “Bodily Fluids.”

I loved this. I definitely had multiple laughs of understanding and sympathy as I read, even texting excerpts to mom friends who also remember the wonderment and bewilderment of that crazy time in you and your baby’s life. Knisley lays it all on the page, from gushing over her somewhat-biased designation of her son as “the best” baby; to the endless frustrations and physical/emotional toll of breastfeeding, and everything in-between. The art is frank yet fond, sarcastic yet sweet, and perfectly captures the running theme of “Motherhood is Weird”. Readers who have survived this stage of motherhood will look back on their own bittersweet memories of babyhood, and new moms may feel a little less alone in their brave new world. Just note: this one is definitely for adult readers; while JJ enjoyed looking over my shoulder at the illustrations, the subject matter was far beyond her or most any child. This one’s just for the moms, and a warm and worthy tribute to motherhood it is. Baby Bookworm’s Mama approved!

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)

You Belong (Rachel Platten)

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Hello, friends! As we gear up to Mother’s Day, we have a few lovely mama-themed books to share with you! Today, we’re reviewing You Belong, written by Rachel Platten and illustrated by Marcin Piwowarski, a tribute to the excitement and anticipation of a new baby’s arrival.

Adapted from singer-songwriter Platten’s 2018 single of the same name (which was itself inspired by Platten’s pregnancy with her first child), this sincere title looks at the exciting and anxious days leading up to a baby’s birth – from the nursery-painting, baby showers, and simple wondering – to the arrival and childhood of the baby-to-be. Following a central expectant couple (drawn as Platten and her husband), the artwork also features a diverse cast of families also anticipating, raising, and loving their babies, assuring them that no matter who they are or what they do, they belong.

Very sweet. Platten’s earnest lyrics translate well to book format; the rhythm flows well even when recited a-melodically, and the words have a strongly story-like narrative. A section in the middle where a bridge repeats is a little awkward for readers unfamiliar with the titular tune, and probably could have been omitted, but it’s also only two pages that feature some of the most beautiful art in the book so.. fair play. On that subject, the dreamy art is colorful yet serene, and fits the text perfectly. The racially-diverse families, which also include single-parent, mixed-race, and extended family are a nice effort; one couple was possibly LGBT+, but this was visually pretty vague. Still, the length was good, and JJ enjoyed this one. A solid addition to the new-baby picture book genre that is clearly straight from the heart, and it’s Baby Bookworm approved.

(Note: A copy of this book was provided to The Baby Bookworm by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)