If You Were Born a Kitten

December 1, 2002
Marion Dane Bauer's If You Were Born a Kitten (1997), illus. by JoEllen McAllister Stammen, makes a fitting board book, with just one line of text per spread, as it describes how 11 animals come into the world ("If you were born a kitten,/ you'd slip into the world in a/ silvery sac, and your mother/ would lick, lick, lick you free"). The book ends with a baby's birth: "You rode curled beneath your mother's heart,/ growing and growing...." In a starred review, PW called it "lovingly maternal, soothing and perfect for bedtime."

Starred review from November 1, 1997
PreS-Gr 1-"If you were born a kitten, you'd slip into the world in a silvery sac, and your mother would lick, lick, lick you free." So begins this simple, rhythmic narrative that describes how 12 different animals enter the world. Stammen's skillful manipulation of dry pastels gives a shimmer to the seahorse; definition to each porcupine quill; and creates contrast between the wet, scraggly chick and the dry, fluffy one. The dark gray paper that comprises the background contributes to the sense of intimacy and vulnerability that accompanies birth. The scenes, each featuring a parent and offspring, bleed off of oversized, double-page spreads, making this a welcome choice for group settings. From the soft, deep blue of the ocean surrounding a nurturing mother whale to the frontal view of a speckled frog watching over her tadpoles, Bauer and Stammen capture the natural behavior of these animals with nary a trace of anthropomorphism; author and illustrator convey the sweetness and wonder of babies without being cloying. The book culminates with a view of a carriage that holds the toy counterparts of the preceding animals and the story of "you": "Naked as a bear cub. Soft as a porcupette. Wrinkled as a deer mouse. Free as a kitten." As endearing as a baby.-Wendy Lukehart, Dauphin County Library, Harrisburg, PA

October 15, 1997
Ages 4^-8. In a loving celebration, each double-page spread shows a different animal--cat, sea horse, porcupine, elephant, bear, and so on--and its young just after birth, as the text reveals some special fact about the newborn. A picture of a baby carriage filled with toy animals finally draws the focus to a human child, with the text making a personal and immediate connection: "You rode beneath your mother's heart, growing and growing." Stammen's large pastel illustrations will be as good for small groups as for lap sharing, and Bauer's simple words are quiet and graceful, drawing intensity from references to the senses: snakes "sssss"; mother cats "lick, lick, lick"; bear cubs sleep by their mothers, "furry and warm." This tender, charming book is perfect for introducing the subject of birth to young children and also for acquainting them with the glorious diversity of the natural world. ((Reviewed October 15, 1997))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1997, American Library Association.)