I Kissed the Baby! [Board book]

Mary Murphy (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 2 and up

Finally -- the perfect first book for baby is available in board!

"I saw the baby!
Did you see the baby?"
"Yes! I saw the baby, the teeny weeny thing."

It's so exciting! News of the baby is buzzing from animal to animal, with each one -- fish, bird, squirrel, insect, frog -- boasting of seeing, feeding, singing to, tickling, and kissing the tiny little thing. With bold, graphic black-and-white illustrations, Mary Murphy's simple, singsong story captures the giddy commotion that only a baby can bring.

"An animal cast so elated that they seem on the verge of jumping into readers' laps. . . . The high-contrast pictures and exclamatory text are guaranteed eye and ear magnets for the littlest ones." -- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-The animals are overjoyed about the new baby in the barnyard, and it's all they can talk about. "Did you see the baby?" they ask one another. "I sang to the baby!" "Did you tickle the baby?" When a tiny mouse asks the duck if she kissed the baby, the duck replies, "Of course I kissed the baby, my own amazing baby." And the newcomer finally makes its appearance. Murphy makes creative use of color on the edges of the black-and-white pages, until the duckling appears in a splash of vibrant yellow, and the text changes to hot pink. This is an ideal book for little eyes and ears, for text, illustrations, and design meld perfectly to capture the excitement of welcoming a new arrival.
Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

PreS. This pithy story, illustrated primarily in black and white, catches the excitement of a new baby in the house. White, free-form animal characters set against pure black backgrounds share the news: a baby has arrived. "I saw the baby! Did you see the baby?" the fish asks. Well, yes. The chicken has fed the baby; the butterfly has sung to it; the ant even tickled it. When the mouse asks the duck if it has kissed the baby, the duck answers, "Of course . . . my own amazing baby." On the next two spreads she kisses the bright yellow duckling again, causing it to "Quack! Quack! Quack!" This is simplicity itself, and it is perhaps surprising that Murphy wrings so much emotion out of bare-bones graphic art. But she does, and her book crackles with love, exhilaration, and even sweetness. Everyone will want to kiss this baby--or their own. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 2 and up
  
• Board book: 24 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick (December 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0763624438
• ISBN-13: 978-0763624439
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Family Life > New Baby
  • #39 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Family Life > New Baby
  • #95 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > General > Fiction

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for animated story-telling, August 6, 2005

By 

Janey's Mom "Jill" (PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Kissed the Baby! (Board book)

My six-month old daughter is CRAZY about this book! I borrowed it from the library because it was on the recommended book list for infants and toddlers and she could not get enough. Its big, bold black and white pictures really got her attention, and when that little yellow baby finally is shown at the end, she gets so excited....always touches him, always bounces around giggling, blowing raspberries, and wriggling with delight. I ended up buying her the hardcover version of this book, but she loves to grab at the little ducky, so I'm on now to purchase the board book so she can grab to her heart's content! I read her a lot of books, and this one is far and away her favorite. The repetition and parallel structure of the book is perfect for getting and keeping baby's attention.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Big time baby kissing, March 31, 2005

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Kissed the Baby! (Hardcover)

There are books out there that are meant to be told to large audiences of wide-mouthed children. And there are books to be told to small groups of addled youngsters. But most interesting sometimes are the books written with the intent of being read to one child and one child alone. Such a book is "I Kissed the Baby". The ultimate in interactive toddlerhood, the story is best when told to a rhyming bouncy beat, with the child on your lap laughing all the while. It's a simple book with easy words, bright colors, and large illustrations. Perfect, in fact, for getting the youngest of youngsters interested in books.

Animals comment on their interactions with a baby. The first, a fish, exclaims proudly, "I saw the baby! Did you see the baby?". He's answered with a rhyming yes and then we see a different pair of animals. As you go you hear that some creatures have fed the baby, sung to the baby, tickled the baby, and finally (best of all) kissed the baby. A mother duck is the one who gets that particular honor, and there's a great two page spread of her leaning down to give the baby duck a great big, "Ppfffwah!" of a smacker.

Simple stuff. But the joy of the book is that even as characters discuss what they've done for the baby, the person reading the book to their child can do those exact same things. Especially the kiss. There's such a build up to the moment that parents would be seriously amiss if they didn't kiss their babies in much the same manner. Be sure you read this book to children who are young enough not to mind being referred to as "babies", by the way. Older children are certain to shy away from this book in the hopes of more mature reading. But "I Kissed the Baby" is as cute as a bug's ear and contains some lovely cadences. A treasure for all who discover it.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for newborns!, September 29, 2003

By 

Susan M. Bonenfant "luvingbooks" (Plaistow NH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Kissed the Baby! (Hardcover)

My 4 month old granddaughter already has a favorite book and it is called I Kissed The Baby. She really responds to this book and looks right at the illustrations. Her little arms and legs really get going and she gets very excited. She is four months old and I read her this book everytime I see her (as well as others), but this is the one she seems to love. Now she tries to reach for the pages and wants to touch. It is a wonderful book and will be my gift for any baby shower I go to in the future.
Congratulations to Mary Murphy.