Hello, Baby! a beautiful new book for toddlers by Mem Fox

Mem Fox is truly one of my favorite authors for young children. She has such a gift of language, creating beautiful rhymes that carry you along, but keeping them simple enough to capture a young child's imagination. With her newest book, Hello Baby!, she has teamed with the imaginative artist Steve Jenkins to create a vibrant, engaging book for the younges children.

Hello, Baby!
written by Mem Fox, illustrated by Steve Jenkins
NY: Beach Lane Books, 2009.
ages 2 - 4

"Hello, baby! Who are you?" begins this book, with a picture of a baby's hand and a monkey's tail, enticing you to turn the page. “Are you a monkey with clever toes? / Perhaps you’re a porcupine, twitching its nose.” We see an eagle, a gecko, a lion and more - all done in Steve Jenkin's vibrant paper collages.

Baby then hears, “Wait, let me guess – Are you my treasure? The answer is…Yes!” And a parent's hand reaches toward the little baby's hand.

It's simple, but the vibrant pictures will fascinate young toddlers because they are so clear and uncluttered. Parents will enjoy reading the rhyming questions and responses. This reminds me of some of Eric Carle's classic books, like The Very Busy Spider, which my children wanted me to read over and over again.

This would make a great baby shower present, or birthday present for 2 and 3 year olds. It's available in bookstores now, and will soon be in libraries.