Angel Baby [Library Binding]

Pat Cummings (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 2000 | Age Level: 3 and up

"Amanda Lynne," said her mother,"Come help me feed your baby brother.Grab that towel and Mr. Bear.Oops! There's oatmeal in his hair.Wipe off his face. Now look, you seeWhat an angel he can be"

In Mother's eyes, Amanda Lynne's little brother is a perfect angel, but Amanda is not so sure. From her point of view, the baby is quite a handful, and always on her hands.

With humor and love, Pat Cummings guides us through a busy day for a baby and his big sister. Her confetti-bright illustrations and romping rhymes are a heavenly combination, sure to brighten every little angel's story time.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Despite the proclamations of their mother, Amanda Lynne's baby brother is hardly an "angel." Cummings (Clean Your Room, Harvey Moon!) makes this irony perfectly clear in her large-scale, brightly hued art, rendered in gouache, watercolor and colored pencil. Food and juice fly off the boy's high-chair tray, a houseplant and a bowl of cat food tumble over as he careens past them, and waves of water spill from his bath. These playful images contradict rhymed couplets in which the mother gives her daughter directions in overseeing his care. "Amanda Lynne, let's get him dressed./ Shoes and socks and all the rest./ Be gentle, hold him carefully./ What an angel he can be!" reads the text as the accompanying illustration shows the boy resisting his sister's help and taunting the cat with his shoestring. The spreads also convey subtler signs of his misdeeds: the cat is tangled in a garden hose that moments before had been coiled neatly in the grass; there are telltale handprints on this same pet long after paint has been washed off the child's hands. Though both the rhythm and rhyme scheme are at times strained, readers will be pleasantly distracted by the goings-on in the pictures. Those who have rolled their eyes while listening to a parent's praise of a less-than-saintly younger sibling will appreciate the humor of this light tale. Ages 3-up. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-In this delightful romp told in rhyme, Cummings shows a day in the life of Amanda Lynne and her very active baby brother. No matter what the toddler does, Mother finds him perfect, as evidenced by her often repeated line, "What an angel he can be." Only his big sister's quick responses save him and the long-suffering family cat from disaster after disaster. Vibrant, full-page expressive illustrations show a loving African-American family living in a cozy home filled with children's clutter. This entertaining read-aloud could be paired with Pat Hutchins's Where's the Baby? (Greenwillow, 1988), which features another less-than-angelic baby brother.
Eunice Weech, M. L. King Elementary School, Urbana, IL
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Library Binding: 24 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (May 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688148220
• ISBN-13: 978-0688148225
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,099,266 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Babies - Two View Points, September 17, 2000

By 

Michael S Roberts - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angel Baby (Hardcover)

Pat Cummings presents a wonderfully humorous story that shares the view of a mother and a sibling towards a baby. This book would be an excellent one to share with an older sibling regarding the way parents see a baby and they see a baby. Thank you Pat for such a caring story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book!, February 6, 2002

By 

Me'lani Joseph (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angel Baby (Hardcover)

I have a three and a half and two year old and they love this book. My three year old recites the words and my two year old points to all the pictures. The illustrations are great! Very colorful and action-packed. I love reading this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful story to read to your child!!!, December 16, 2002

By 

Jolene Tyree (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Angel Baby (Hardcover)

My son is 2 years old and he LOVES this book. When it is time for bed, he says, "Angel Baby," and reaches for the book. The pictures are vibrant and beautiful, and the smooth flowing words captivate his attention - from beginning to end. I highly recommend this book!