Baby Clown: A Star Is Born

LaReau’s absorbing problem-solving tale offers a funny look at grown-ups stymied by a very small human. Baby Clown cries all the time, and loudly. Boffo and Frieda Clown, his harassed parents, are stuck; nothing they try works. “WAAAAH!!!” spreads across the pages, the visual equivalent of infant screams radiating through space. “There is no room for crying in my circus,” says Mr. Dingling, the big boss. The two performers wear their clown costumes and makeup even when they’re at home, which adds hilarity to their earnest diaper changes and bedtime routines. Frieda’s multicolored wig and Boffo’s electric blue hair are drawn by Cordell (Explorers) at his antic best, in scribbly spreads filled with expressions of comic dismay, false cheer, and misery. LaReau (the Infamous Ratsos series) narrates in straightforward prose, using repetition to good effect: “The trapeze artists tried./ Then the animals tried./ Even the wire walker tried./ But still, Baby Clown cried.” Fortunately, it turns out that Baby Clown has a natural bent for performance. Even clowns may find themselves rearing a fussy child, but all is not lost: communities can pitch in, and children can find their way. And when all else fails, try thunderous applause. Ages 3–7. [em]Author’s agent: Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Rosemary Stimola, Stimola Literary Studio. (Apr.) [/em]