Everywhere Babies
by Susan Meyers
Illus. Marla Frazee
2001
This board book was just introduced to me by a friend, and I immediately loved it so much I had to put it on this site. Everywhere Babies
is a simple rhyming book enumerating the many activites and accoutrements of the baby set, from how they get carried, to how they get fed, to how they play and make friends. The language is rhythmic and repetitive in a way that preschoolers and babies alike will find soothing (every day, everywhere babies are born, every day everywhere babies are carried, etc.), but as with many of the best board books, it's the illustrations that truly make this story special. Frazee's images are chock full of character and life, and she clearly knows her way around a baby. From the priceless expression on the face of the baby learning to walk to the true-to-life exhaustion of the breast-feeding mama, these pictures will ring true for the whole family - and each page is crammed with lots of activity. Even better, to this tree-hugging liberal mama's mind, is the wonderful diversity of families depicted in the book. Gay families, straight families, black and white families, multiple generations and single parents - they're all represented here, and in a way that celebrates different family arrangements without ever being preachy or PC. A wonderful, loving book that would be a great addition to any toddler's library.
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