Just Like a Baby

Starred review from August 30, 1999
A first-time picture book author/artist presents a warm and loving family anticipating the arrival of a new baby. Father realizes the baby has nowhere to sleep, so he builds a cradle. Grandfather paints it, Grandmother makes a quilt for it, Brother creates a mobile to hang over it--the project becomes a family affair. After completing his or her part, each member of the family takes a turn in the cradle and sleeps "just like a baby." Bond describes their contributions with a cumulative refrain that sets a leisurely pace ideal for bedtime fare. The artwork echoes the gentle repetition of the prose with recurring visual elements, from the small black dog who appears in each scene to geometric patterns or colors at play between flooring and clothing. Cheerful and snug, the acrylic illustrations play with perspective and brim with puckish touches, such as Grandma's bunny slippers and the teacups she leaves in her wake. The parting picture, viewed from above, shows the new baby reaping the benefits of her family's hard work, dog curled in a circle beside her; it may well lull readers themselves to sleep like a baby. A homespun heartwarmer. Ages 4-8.