Babies: adorable, irresistible, lovable babies. And they are waiting for you to kiss their toes, sing them lullabies, and rock them to sleep. All you have to do is make room on your bike, or your ship, or your hot-air balloon! Sing along, because this is the day we give babies away—tra la and fiddle de dee.
Presents an expanded version of a folk song in which babies are given away as premiums with the purchase of different items each day of the week.An adaptation of a turn-of-the-century song, this picture book depends heavily on Priceman's (Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin ) festively colored, Madeline -inspired compositions to tamp down the confusion or anxiety that the text may otherwise elicit from its preschool audience. "Monday's the day we give babies away/ with a half a pound of tea," the book begins, with a scene of dozens of babies in blue or pink hooded footies gamboling in their tiny beds, a dog loyally barking as a woman embraces the baby she's chosen, a matron dancing merrily in the background while her colleague (a tall Miss Clavel type, sans wimple) holds out a bag of tea leaves. In the absence of a story, kids will respond with questions. Just who is doing the giving and why are babies are being "given away" in the first place? If this book is about adoption (as the author's endnote suggests but the text does not make clear), why is it that only women get to pick out babies to take home? More visually oriented children may enjoy spotting the various ways that Priceman pays homage to Ludwig Bemelmans, from the set-up of the dining table to the appearance of the house, but the book's metaphorical whimsy seems most likely to please adults. Ages 3-6. (Oct.)
[Page 54]. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
PreS-K —Gershator's cheery adaptation of a traditional song from the 1900s is perfectly complemented by Priceman's breezy watercolor illustrations. A multitude of babies clad in hooded pink or blue pj's and tended by loving caretakers is waiting to be taken home. Each day the children are given away along with a special treat, such as "half a pound of tea" or "milk and cookies for free." On Monday, a woman chooses a bundle wrapped in blue, Tuesday's lady gladly takes a boy and a girl, Wednesday's new mother flies away with three little ones in her hot-air balloon, and so on, until the remaining seven tots gallop off on horseback with their smiling mom. Two splashy spreads illustrate each verse, first by introducing the day of the week and then concluding with the mother departing with her adopted young. The text swoops through the idyllic indoor and outdoor scenes to create a lyrical, joyous, and somewhat silly mood. The characters represent a variety of races and nationalities, and blended families are the norm. Sharp-eyed readers will observe that the picture for each day includes an animal that has the same number of offspring as those taken by the human mother. This pleasant romp is a natural for baby sing-along programs (sheet music is included), one-on-one sharing, and lullaby time.—Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT
[Page 106]. Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.
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