BAH! Said the Baby

January 15, 2015
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. (Picture book. 3-6)

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January 1, 2015

PreS-Getting one's point across can be challenging for anybody, but it's especially tough for the wee protagonist of this short but endearing book. When Baby shouts, "Bah!" Mom and two older siblings rush over and attempt to guess what the infant wants. Their offers of bottles, books, and blocks are met with increasing puzzlement and frustration from the tot. After many attempts, Mom finally figures out that "Bah!" means "Bye!" and Baby rejoices at being understood. Simple colorful backgrounds accentuate Plecas's bright and playful illustrations; her cartoon style is humorous and expressive. Baby's exclamations and the resigned "Oh well...Guess not!" refrain from family members appear in speech bubbles. The simple text with repeated words and clear drawings makes this title suitable for beginning readers. Parents and children with younger siblings are sure to relate to the pitfalls and joys of communicating with pre-verbal babies.-Yelena Alekseyeva-Popova, formerly at Chappaqua Library, NY

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2015
A well-intentioned family fails to decipher baby's first "word." Mom, brother, and sister suggest words and hold up objects to no avail. "Bah!" doesn't mean book, bow, or ball. Engaging illustrations effectively use varied perspectives to tell the warmhearted story. In one clever double-page composition, the perplexed baby faces dark silhouettes of his expectant family members.

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)