Photographer Ellwand (Fairie-ality
) is the master of G-rated voluptuousness, and his latest oversize extravaganza, a celebration of babies from infancy to toddlerhood, may well become the essential gift for expectant parents. The black-and-white portraits, some of which are literally larger than life, appear on the kind of sleek, coated paper that encourages dreamy caresses; the design is austere but attractive (although Ellwand's attempt to link each grouping of baby photos to a kind of flower—the "purity" of a lily to infancy, for example—seems superfluous). Heartfelt quotations from the likes of Lord Byron, Deepak Chopra and Louise Erdrich ("The world tips away when we look into our children's faces") decorate the pages, occasionally joined by the weary-but-happy observations of folks identified simply as "mother" or "father of twins." Baby-crazed adults will swear the vivid pictures are imbedded with new baby smell, but youngsters may be less taken with the images' elegant classicism, or the way Ellwand's lens lovingly lingers on pudgy cheeks, soulful eyes and diminutive appendages. Most of the aphorisms will be lost on kids as well—except, perhaps, a quote from Fran Lebowitz, which comes closest to how would-be and new siblings might view all the fuss: "Even when freshly washed and relieved of all obvious confections, children tend to be sticky." A feast for the eyes. All ages. (Mar.)
