Baby's Firsts

A joyful, poetic celebration of tiny moments in babies' lives. This isn't the first picture book to revel in babyhood, but in many ways it's a refreshing addition to the nursery shelf. Its striking red cover with gold foil display type acts as a visual departure from the pastel pinks, blues, yellows, and greens that dominate all things baby, and its inclusive depiction of three families of different races makes it feel, if not like a first, then like it's keeping up with the times (though it would've been even nicer to see a two-mom or two-dad family included). From the first, Day's verse has…

Day focuses on the new experiences of babies and their parents during the first 12 months of life. The title starts in the hospital when a mom holds up her naked little boy with his dad standing next to her and covers other milestones like the first burp, change, and laugh. Text and illustrations work well and show moms and dads taking care of babies. For example, there is a page with text that says, “First meal.” On one page, a mom is breastfeeding her child. On the opposite page, a dad feeds his baby with a bottle. Expressive cartoon artwork conveys the joy and exhaustion of being a new…