FICTION

Where Do Babies Come From?: Our First Talk About Birth

by Jillian ROBERTS
illus. by Cindy Revell. 32p. Orca. Oct. 2015. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781459809420.
COPY ISBN
PreS-Gr 1—Based on Roberts's app, The Facts of Life, this picture book tackles the basics of reproduction. The text is presented in a question-and-answer format that will satisfy young children's curiosity and that could provide a framework or a script for caregivers to work from. The art is colorful, gentle, and detailed, though it may occasionally be confusing to readers. For example, the question "How long does it take to grow a baby?" is followed by an illustration depicting fruits of increasing size, representing the size the baby during each month of development. Revell includes characters of various ethnicities and represents different kinds of families. There is a single page in the back addressing other questions that kids may have; these take on same-sex families, adopted babies, and specifics about conception.
VERDICT A fine, age-appropriate option for exploring reproduction and pregnancy.
Reviewed by Maggi Idzikowski, Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
"What part of the mother's body does the baby come from?" This simple introduction uses child-friendly questions to convey the basics, with mixed results. The age-appropriate answers explain some things well, but other murky explanations may confuse young listeners. The cartoony illustrations are inviting but don't always clarify matters. A page of four additional questions provides more detailed information.
 , Oct 01, 2015

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