Mama's Milk

There's nothing more natural than a baby nursing from its mother, and this theme serves as the inspiration for a moving tale that celebrates the miracle of breastfeeding. Ross' story is simplistic in tone, comprised of short, rhyming verse that introduces readers to the many animals that share this form of nourishment with humans. ("Mama's going to nurse you high up in a tree. Mama's going to nurse you down low by her knees.") The text's gentle rhythm and softly rendered images aptly capture the quietness of a nursing babe, content to suckle amidst a bustling world. One of these more fitting spreads features a mother breastfeeding at a park as another picnics nearby, while on the facing page, another woman spoon-feeds a toddler seated in a stroller, children happily swinging and sliding in the foreground. The various images of animals and their babes—identification of their different names peppered throughout—are especially cozy. No matter the varying styles of feeding, one common denominator exists: a mother's milk sustains and nurtures her child. A final spread explains how long various animals nurse, as well as the benefits of breastfeeding. An ode to all things maternal. Ages 6 mos.-3 yrs. (Apr.)