By Carly Smith
Wonderful Babies describes the delightful and marvellous attributes of the little bundles of joy we call babies. Through simple illustration and text, Martin showcases different characteristics of babies, creating a relatable and empowering book for young readers. This sweet and charming book is the perfect way to start or end baby’s day and is a great excuse to stretch out cuddle time with your loved one.
In Wonderful Babies, little ones will undoubtedly resonate with the babies they see and read about; Martin exposes her audience to babies with a variety of emotions and interests. She writes with commonly used vocabulary to capture the ears of little ones and includes illustrations that have just the right amount of detail to complement the text while also offering opportunities for further discussion.
The text is formatted strategically—each page has two words; the second word is always “baby” and the first word is always the descriptor. The descriptor, perhaps surprisingly, is not always an adjective. Martin uses high-frequency words like “grumpy,” “sleepy,” and “wild” to precede “baby,” but sometimes she chooses nouns to describe the baby, like “bunny” and “balloon.” Typically, I am turned off by oversimplified wording and grammar; I am a firm believer that babies can and should be exposed to complete sentences and proper syntax. However, in this case, terms like “bunny baby” and “two baby” add to the charm and playfulness of the book, and also set the ground for questions that will elicit critical thinking.
Another aspect of the book I am particularly drawn to is its honesty. The word “wonderful” often provokes a feeling of positivity, and Martin describes babies in ways that may not always be interpreted as positive (e.g., shy, messy, grumpy). I appreciate Martin’s decision to include these terms because it creates authenticity by reminding readers that babies are wonderful all the time, and not just when they are joyful. Furthermore, it reinforces to little ones that emotions and characteristics that so often have a negative connotation are acceptable and embraceable. Ultimately, Martin does a great job at avoiding toxic positivity.
Finally, I enjoyed the illustrations. Plain, yet adequately detailed, they highlight diversity—the babies we see are different races and have varying physical attributes. The illustrations are softly coloured, unlike many other baby books which overuse bright colours and perhaps, as a result, are somewhat overstimulating.
Wonderful Babies is a lovely book to keep in your household library. From eye-catching illustrations to captivating text, this perfectly sized board book is sure to grab your little one’s attention.
Thank you to Random House Children’s Books for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.