Baby Bill and Little Lil [Hardcover]

Sue Heap (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

In search of a pet fishy, Little Lil and Baby Bill rush down a hill, accompanied by a menagerie of animals, and almost come to an unhappy end.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Time and tide may wait for no man, but without them there would be no happy ending to this story. Pail in hand, Baby Bill declares he wants a "pet fishy," so his sister, Little Lil, agrees to take him down the very steep, lime-green hill that leads to the sea. Along the way, the party grows to include a bird, a bee, three sheep, a Dalmatian and a cat; through a combination of momentum and Baby Bill's enthusiasm, the group reaches their destination in a tumble, and Bill's pail floats out to sea. But Lil counsels patience, and when the moon rises, "In came the waves; in came the pail"Aand Bill gets his fishy. Heap's narrative has a diffuse feel and doesn't achieve the warm intimacy of her Cowboy Baby; the story's focus seems torn between Bill's quest and the accumulation and interaction of the secondary characters. But the full-bleed, double-spread drawings carry the book on the strength of their vibrancy and cheeriness, and Heap's quirky, petite characters pop off the densely colored backdrops of sky, sand, sea and grass. Several paintings starring the two siblings show the artist at her best. Ages 3-up. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

PreSchool-When Little Lil takes Baby Bill to catch a pet "fishy," Clive Cat; Dilly Dog; Sam, Sue, and Sid Sheep; and Bird and Bee join the fun. As they run faster and faster down the hill, they tumble and Baby's pail is lost. Bill cries. Everyone goes home to bed, but Bill and Lil. They wish by the sea until the waves bring back Bill's pail with-of course-a pet "fishy." Though a bit too precious, this tale has a childlike innocence combined with a surreal quality that sometimes appeals to the very young. The colorful illustrations featuring the two children and an odd assortment of cartoon critters in various bits of dress-a cat in pajamas; a dog in a coat, hat, and athletic shoes carrying a purse; sheep in sweaters, hats, scarves, and boots-are very flat, but simple and boldly colored. While fans of Heap's Cowboy Baby (Candlewick, 1998) will be ready for this trip to the ocean, the uninitiated may want to test the water before plunging in.
Jody McCoy, The Bush School, Seattle, WA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Kingfisher; 1st edition (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753451964
• ISBN-13: 978-0753451960
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,790,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

After graduating from Hull College of Art, Sue Heap worked in animation and as a designer at several children's book publishers. Sue has illustrated over thirty children's books, including Cowboy Baby for which she won the prestigious Smarties Prize. She's lived in many places including Egypt, Germany and Singapore, and now lives in Oxfordshire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Colorful Illustrations Capture My Son's Attention, May 8, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Baby Bill and Little Lil (Hardcover)

We started reading this book to my son when he was just a couple of months old, and it quickly became a favorite of his. He loved to look at the brightly colored pages. I've read the book so often that I can recite it by heart. Now he's nearly 2, and when Baby Bill loses his pail, my son starts to cry and offers his pacifier to comfort Baby Bill. (So we don't read it as often as we used to.) If my son's reaction is typical, it will be a well-loved book.

5.0 out of 5 stars A bed-time charmer!, February 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Baby Bill and Little Lil (Hardcover)

To ready my 4 year old daughter for her new baby brother, I wanted a book with an older sister/baby brother relationship she could relate to. She loves Baby Bill and Little Lil, and Sue Heap's other simple characters like Bird and Bee, Dilly Dog and Sam, Sue, and Sid sheep. We both enjoy the colorful art, and I appreciate a bedtime story that can be read slowly in under five minutes! A loving and lovely book for any toddler or preschooler and the parent who reads to them.

Note: The artwork in the book looks much nicer than the scan you see on this page.