August 15, 2023
At a family dinner, Baby brings joy and chaos. The whole family has gathered for a home-cooked meal, and Baby is the star. With the table set, the candles lit, and the whole spread laid out--enchiladas and guacamole, ravioli and meatballs, black-eyed peas, olives, lemonade--guests take their seats and pass the baby around the table, sharing little bites and laptime. All goes well until Baby is seated in her highchair, where she makes a huge mess that the dog helps clean up. After the meal, the exhausted adults snooze in the living room; suddenly there's no one to pass Baby around. Bored, Baby is poised to make a ruckus when her big sibling saves the evening. Written in rhyme, this story captures the joy and chaos of a family dinner when one of the guests is a beloved, doted-on baby. The baby's big sibling appears in many of the illustrations observing from the sidelines. The chronology falters just once early in the book--the linear action suddenly and inexplicably backtracks to earlier preparations after everyone has just sat down at the table--but that's a small issue. Col�n's handmade illustrations give the tale a cozy feel. The characters have brown skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A sweet reminder to siblings big and small that they are all important members of the family. (Picture book. 3-5)
COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
September 4, 2023
Convivial rhyming verse celebrates a family dinner whose star is its newest member—a brown-skinned, curly-haired baby in a pink dress. Colón (Light for All), working in mixed media, gives the child’s extended family sparkling expressions as they consume a feast: “Tío likes the guacamole,/ Papi needs an enchilada,/ Doggie steals a ravioli./ Baby’s playing with a meatball.” As the meal progresses, the infant is sometimes held high above the table (“Baby, baby, pass the baby!”), and sometimes causes chaos from a high chair (“Baby takes some mashed banana,/ flings it at the kitchen door”). Slapstick action contributes laughs as Baby bops Tío in the nose (“watch out for her little kicks!”) and the dog catches the food that Baby drops (“Papi thinks that Doggie’s helpful,/ Mommy says he’s just a thief”). And at the end of the night, when the adults slump with fatigue, the child is miraculously alert and ready for more play. Reich (Stand Up and Sing!) finds ample color, incident, and humor around the dining room table in this celebration of cooking and eating in a family in which the very youngest are cherished. Characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Edward Necarsulmer IV, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. Illustrator’s agent: Brenda Bowen, Book Group.
November 1, 2023
PreS-Gr 2-Family dinner is about to start, and it's time to set the table. Family members are all doing their part, putting out their special dishes. At the center of it all is the baby. She wants to sit on someone's lap, but be careful of her kicking feet. Everyone digs into their meal as the baby plays with a meatball and makes a mess. The family members pass the baby around so she can get a little taste of everything. The family dog stays underfoot, lapping up whatever the baby drops onto the floor. Soon it's time to clean up and get ready for bed, but instead of the baby, the rest of the family has fallen asleep. Pass the Baby is a celebration of family and food, with one rambunctious family member. Readers will want to eat up the incredible food gracing the pages. Rhyming short lines of text make for an engaging read. The unique artwork for this book was created with watercolors, colored pencils, and crayons, rendering vibrant and realistic scenes of family life. Members of the family have diverse skin tones and hair textures. VERDICT This celebration of family togetherness and food is an excellent addition to any collection.-Myiesha Speight
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 1, 2023
Reich offers up a rhythmic, rhyming celebration of family, particularly the family's youngest member: "Call the guests to gather round, / grab a chair and take a seat. / Baby's fussing, must be hungry. / Hurry up, it's time to eat!" While this multiethnic, multiracial extended family cooks a special meal of enchiladas, ravioli, and black-eyed peas, they pass the baby from person to person -- hugging, playing, and bouncing. The illustrations have their own rhythm, flipping from left to right on consecutive spreads with periodic full-bleed crowd scenes that encourage lingering. The kaleidoscopic use of color and layering of media lend depth, emphasizing the family's love and joy. Details such as Doggie scarfing up crumbs, a picture knocked askew, and Grandma looking irritated capture a mildly controlled chaos that will be familiar to many readers. It's lovely, too, to see the family gathering for no particular reason other than to be together. When the coffee spills and Baby dumps the sugar bowl on her doll's head, dinner has reached its inevitable conclusion. "Everybody grab a napkin. / Baby's made a great big mess!" The adults are done in, struggling to keep their eyes open, but Baby's ready for another helping. Adrienne L. Pettinelli
(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from October 15, 2023
Preschool-Grade 1 *Starred Review* Babies make family gatherings fun, and the little girl in Reich's day-in-the-life tale is no exception. Presented in an upbeat rhyming text, the child's high jinks and her family's attention and playfulness create a happy, festive environment. Dinner with the extended family includes Mommy, Papi, Grandma, Grandpa, T�o, T�a, a sister, and more. A young brother or cousin appears to giggle at all the mischief created by the little one, and the entire group is indulgent of the baby's antics, from throwing food on the floor to spilling coffee on her grandmother's dress. A refrain appears throughout the story: "Baby, baby, pass the baby! Baby wants a little bite. Pass the baby round the table, filled with faces shining bright." Though a couple of illustrations show a bit of consternation on family members' faces at the constant activity, there are no reprimands, just acceptance of the mess a youngster can make. The feast is as varied as the family members, including guacamole, ravioli, enchiladas, meatballs, peanut pie, and cheesecake. As usual, the adults collapse after their delicious meal but the energy of the two youngest family members continues the fun. Adults will recognize the scenario while children delight in the baby's (mis)behavior.
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