Hello Baby! By Mem Fox Illustrated By Steve Jenkins

 

1.  Bibliography

Fox, Mem.  2009.  HELLO BABY!  Ill. by Steve Jenkins.  New York:  Beach Lane Books.  ISBN 9781416985136

2.  Plot Summary

The reader is asking the baby who they are with the turn of each page.  "Who are you?" (2)  "Perhaps you're an owl with a wicked wink" (26).  Each page contains a picture of a different animal doing an action that the baby is asked if they are.  At the conclusion of the story an image of each animal is shown.  The baby is asked if they are a treasure and the answer is yes.

3.  Critical Analysis

The author creates a wonderful book with text that rhymes and flows till the last page.  The child learns that their are many different types of babies in the world and that they are their parents treasure.  The author focuses on African animals to enrich a child's mind of a variety of animals from one continent.  This book has a wonderful message to share with its audience.  There are many animals in the world and it is amazing that they have things in common with humans.  It is fun and simple to read with children that are very young to preschool age children.

The illustrator creates bright vibrant images of animals through cut paper.  The media used for the pictures create an element of texture that make the animals seem real.  The reader can see how tired the hippo is and how scary the crocodile is with its serious expression.  The animals are brought to life and the reader can see how they are feeling with their great expressions.  

4.  Review Excerpts

STARRED REVIEW IN PUBLISHER WEEKLY:  "Like her Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, Fox’s newest has all the marks of a lap-sit classic. In mellifluous motherese..."
STARRED REVIEW IN KIRKUS:  "Fox’s original language offers equally strong depictions of wildlife. She all but animates the stellar illustrations: A monkey fidgets with “clever” toes, a crocodile sits “silent and scary” and an owl gives readers a “wicked wink.”

5.  Connections
*This book would be wonderful to use in a story time to introduce babies to the many different animals in Africa.  Children can see what humans and animals have in common, for example most of us yawn.  A flannel board activity could be included in the story time of each animal in the story and ask the children what the animals are as they are put on the board.  This story has many options for crafts.  A coloring sheet of any of the animals could be used with the continent of Africa in the middle to show children where the animals live.
*Other books with animals from Africa:
Hall, Michael.  MY HEART IS A ZOO.  ISBN 9780061915109
Joubert, Beverly.  AFRICAN ANIMAL ALPHABET.  ISBN 1426307810
Krebs, Laurie.  WE ALL WENT ON A SAFARI:  A COUNTING JOURNEY THROUGH TANZANIA.  ISBN 1841484784