Customer Reviews

We Have a Baby

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

New-sibling books make me cringe most of the time -- they love to center on sibling jealousy, all the "negatives" of having a new baby. And then there's what I call the "bottle and crib factor" -- parents like me who breastfeed and sleep in a family bed search constantly for a collection of "books about babies" that look a little more like our family.

This book is perfect. The toddler could be either a girl or a boy. The family's race is not specific and this could well be a mixed-race family -- what I'm getting at here, is that this could be anyone's family. The baby is breastfed with the toddler cuddled in the mama's arms, having a cookie. It's all about the joy of loving and being loved by a new baby, and the toddler is included on every page, helping and being loved, beckoned, welcomed. Utterly beautiful and simple. The last page, after the text ends, shows toddler and baby cuddled together under a blanket, asleep.

I purchased several books for our almost-two-year-old to help him understand the new baby. This is by far his favorite. The simple explanations of the baby and the family's interaction (We have a Baby. A baby to love. A baby to hold....) with the new baby are wonderful. The pictures are lovely and perfect for a small child. It was such a great book, I bought one for a friend who also has an almost-two-year-old and a new baby.

Spend the money and purchase the hardcover/library edition. It's worth it.

My son welcomed his new little sister 4 months ago. He is 2-1/2 now, and still asks for this book to be read while the other "new baby" books sit on the shelf. The illustrations and simple words are lovely and gentle. He is not distracted by the "darker" skin of the family although we are white.

This book was a favorite for my granddaughter before and after her sister was born. She was 16-18 months old at the time and didn't want to have any other story read to her. She loved the photos and would imitate "loving" the baby and would kiss the baby's picture in the book when it was time to kiss the baby. We knew all the words after reading it so often. Her comment, upon finishing the story, was "read it again". The book was so worn that her mother had to recently replace it so both sisters can read it before another sibling arrives this winter. Colors and illustrations are very appealing.

Based on the positive reviews I read at Amazon.com, I bought this book and several others to help prepare my toddler for the arrival of our new baby. She got the book when she was 12 months old and it is still a favorite 6 months later. While I agree with other reviewers that this might not be the right book for an older child, I think the appealing illustrations and the simple, repetitive text are perfect for younger toddlers. In fact, it is unquestionably the best book I've seen on the subject for this age group.

This is the best book I've found so far on welcoming a new baby to the home. I appreciated the multi-cultural parents, and the focus on "we" have a baby. It shows examples of the toddler involved in enjoying and caring for the sister/brother. Also, the toddler could be a girl or a boy -- as can the baby -- so it he/she is easily identifiable for the toddler. Can't imagine a better book for this topic.

Finally! A family we can relate to! This is a sweet book with adorable illustrations and I love how it shows breastfeeding and co-sleeping as normal. We bought it a few months before our baby was due and my daughter wanted to read it at least once a day and she was excited about curling up with me while the new baby nursed, just like in the book. Now we read the book with the new baby and my big girl in my lap :)

A very sweet text, and lovely illustrations. Preschoolers can begin to read the simple text themselves. My 3-year-old son learned to "read" the word "baby" from this book. Realistic (though perhaps too glowing) depiction of what it's like with a new baby. Shows what you can do with the baby. Also depicts breastfeeding, which is fairly unusual in most new baby books.

We just gave my two year old daughter this book and she loves it - as do I! The drawings are nice, the text simple and concise. The copy focuses on loving the baby and explains the basics of what the child will see once a new baby is home. My favorite aspects of the book are: 1) The featured family is multi-racial, which is lacking in a lot of children's literature and I think great exposure for ALL kids; 2) The older sibling and new baby are gender neutral so the book can appeal to all children; 3) Very natural images are presented of the mother breastfeeding and also cuddling BOTH the toddler and baby at the same time. These are some of the reasons I purchased the book in the first place and we were not disappointed.

I bought this book for my niece when a baby was on the way. The pictures are beautiful, the words very calming. It isn't obvious if either the first born or new baby is a boy or girl, so it is a suitable choice for either a big brother or sister. I think it is the perfect level for a 1-3 year old to help grasp all that will be involved with caring for a new sibling, but most of all emphasizing the baby is to love and will love us, too!