A Name for Baby

May 1, 2018
With the help of woodland creatures, Mother Mouse searches for a name for her new baby that sounds just right.Boyd's sweetly illustrated field mice and their forest friends greet Mother Mouse and her new baby with gifts. As each animal and gift arrives, Mother Mouse wonders if the name of the gift might also become a name for baby. After listening all day, she finally settles on a name made up of different words she's heard throughout. Boyd includes some nice vocabulary ("maidenhair fern," "milkweed pods") along with some nice literary touches. Most of the animals' names are alliterative or rhyming, such as Sadie Snail, Kiki Cat, Merle Squirrel, and even the baby's ultimate name itself. These are nice additions for younger readers. The illustrations have a lovely, consistent color palette, evoking spring and new life. The daytime images feature a clean, cream-colored background, while the night is a deep blue, making a nice visual to mark the transition. There's a beautiful two-page spread in which readers meet Moon, who asks about the baby's name; in response, Mother Mouse says simply, "I'm listening for one." This lovely moment stands out above the rest, which sometimes feature awkward internal rhymes or rhyming couplets, but only inconsistently. The final page ends the book abruptly, with nothing to signify an end to Mother Mouse's day or the story itself.Inconsistent writing combines with sweet illustrations to make this a nice-enough book. (Picture book. 2-5)

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June 1, 2018

PreS-K-Mother Mouse has just had a baby girl, and the other woodland animals are curious to learn the child's name. Mother Mouse, though, is unsure, and decides to listen to the natural world around her for inspiration. She comes up with several ideas, but none of them are quite right. At last, Mother Mouse listens to the night sky and hears the sounds "may," "flower," and "moon," and combines them to make the name "May Moonflower Mouse," with the nickname "May May" for the baby's family and friends. Boyd's writing is lyrical, reflecting the joy of a new child while also conveying the tranquility of nature and the patience Mother Mouse has as she waits to make a decision. Young readers, particularly those who are expecting a baby in the family, will enjoy the anticipation leading up to deciding on the baby's name. The illustrations feature soft, muted colors that match the serene tone of the text. VERDICT Despite the somewhat anticlimactic resolution, this quiet picture book will be suitable for sharing with young readers, especially those who are soon-to-be siblings. An additional purchase.-Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY

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