Here Is the Baby

The events of a baby's day unfold in gentle, rudimentary prose that seeks out readers' attention by repeating the phrases "here is" and "here are" ("Here is the baby, hungry and wet. Mama changes his diaper. She gives him some milk"). After the baby's mother and sister leave for the day, the baby spends the afternoon with his father, greeting a neighbor ("Here is the baby. He's trying to talk. Here is the neighbor. She says Baby's name") before heading to the library, park, and back to their brownstone apartment as snow begins to fall. The baby's nighttime routine%E2%80%94dinner, playtime, bath, and bed%E2%80%94unfolds against the backdrop of the family's cozy home. Yoo's (Only a Witch Can Fly) understated block prints in autumnal and citrus tones convey a sense of security, while Kanevsky's (Sleepy Boy) quiet text hints at both tiny dilemmas and a child's broadening understanding of the world ("But where's Baby's mitten? And where is his mama?"). A reassuring and subtly insightful story for readers graduating from board books. Ages 2%E2%80%935. Illustrator's agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties. (Sept.)