Busy Babies

Starred review from March 1, 2019
A brisk, rhyming text describes the actions of infants and toddling 1- and 2-year-olds, shown in daily activities with their parents, grandparents, and caregivers.Clean, white backgrounds and a tall, vertically oriented trim accommodate some pages with two to four spot illustrations and a few with full-page views of the entrancing tykes in action. The children and adults include people of different ethnicities and several grandparents or caregivers with gray hair as well as dads and grandpas taking an active role with their little ones. Some children are still babes in arms or just sitting up, but most are walking (or running!) on their own and beginning to exert their independence. All sorts of activities are portrayed: eating and napping, visiting parks and an art museum, and typical toddler mischief such as emptying a wastebasket. The brief text repeats the titular phrase, followed by action phrases describing each activity, with a loose, pleasant rhyme scheme. The tiny tykes themselves have slightly oversized, round heads with teeny dots for eyes, and their adorable outfits include bright colors and patterns as well as one little one in a purple velveteen dress. The final page shows a toddler with a tricycle (but no helmet) and the concluding phrase, "Busy babies / Just like you!" Any child 2 or older will not want to be called a baby (though older siblings might be happy to), but that's a small quibble in an otherwise captivating story.A charming look at the lives of little ones, all fortunate to be cherished and cared for by loving adults. (Picture book. 2-5)

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March 18, 2019
Babies and their guardians appear in eventful scenes illustrated in gouache and pen and ink, with detailed patterns and splashy colors. Schwartz depicts single or multiple scenarios per page. A child in a highchair is seen “eating peas”; another baby is supine on a pink blanket, “rattling keys”; and a third is “clapping chubby hands.” A baby sits in a shopping cart chock full of groceries “at the store,” a child in a green hoodie appears with an elderly guardian “at the seashore,” and another child makes a funny face. Several dominate their own spreads, including a busy toddler “opening kitchen cabinets” and another exploring the sculptures on display in a gallery (“going places”). Schwartz delicately captures the wonder of new experience in her spry, friendly artwork. Ages 4–8.

May 1, 2019

Baby-Toddler-In rhyming text, Schwartz presents a plethora of babies and the activities that keep them busy all day. From "Visiting ducks/Playing trucks" and "Clapping chubby hands/Banging pots and pans" to "Blowing bubbles/Making trouble," the cartoon-style babies are depicted in many shades of skin colors and hair variations. Whether accompanied by an adult or alone, busy babies have much to do. In fact, there are so many everyday activities portrayed that readers are bound to identify with at least a few. The deceptively simple pictures rendered in pen and ink and colored in gouache, range from multiple small vignettes on a page to full-page illustrations, all against a white background. Some babies are "With their mamas/In pajamas;" others are "Into something/Wearing nothing." Yet others are "Saying 'Hi!'/Waving 'Bye!'" They are even "Riding busses/Making fusses." But always the illustrations are upbeat and the palette cheery, making these very mundane activities feel unique indeed. VERDICT Best appreciated one-on-one, this title offers many moments that toddlers and their adults will enjoy and want to pore over. -Lucia Acosta, Children's Literature Specialist, Princeton, NJ

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2019
Preschool-K What do babies do all day? Schwartz sums it up nicely in sequences of brief rhymed couplets that capture a wide range of activities and emotions. Busy babies / In baby swings / Stacking rings / Holding cups / Sitting up / Riding busses / Making fusses / Building blocks / Removing socks. The text flows beautifully, but much of enjoyment comes from the line-and-watercolor artwork that accompanies each phrase. The combination is irresistible for babies and toddlers, who will be absorbed by the images of recognizable activities appearing on the page, or for adult readers, amused by some of the familiar situations depicted, such as a baby, suddenly too warm in a snowsuit, wailing on a crowded bus, or a toddler in a stroller, delighted with pulling off both socks. Precise black-ink drawings define the people and their surroundings, while the washes of rich colors that fill out the scenes look brilliant against the surrounding white space. Best enjoyed one-on-one, this picture book offers a wonderful focal point for conversations with young children.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)