Ninja Baby

PreS-Gr 2—Born a ninja, Nina exerts her power from the start by karate chopping the doctor. Soft but detailed pen, ink, and watercolor illustrations play up the tongue-in-cheek text on every page, as independent Nina takes control of each situation: "At bedtime, she climbed her crib walls like smoke and vanished. And changing time was hand-to-hand combat. Nina did not like to be helped." This charming setup serves to launch readers and listeners ruthlessly into the story's real drama—Nina gets a sibling. He is a "Kung Fu Master," and here she meets her match. Where Nina has fought for independence, she observes that he seems to be fighting for everyone's attention and winning it. Lonely and very frustrated, she decides to approach the interloper directly, and ultimately the ninja and the Kung Fu Master join forces. One might worry for the parents of such a duo, but in an amusing twist, the last spread alleviates any concern. Clean design with ample white space to showcase the pictures' funny details pairs well with the punchy text, making a nice package for sharing aloud.