Written by Meg Fleming, illustrated by Brandon James Scott
I have loved this book for months and am barely getting around to reviewing it. Listed on the 2023 Texas 2×2 Recommended Reading List, most public and school libraries will purchase and circulate this title for children ages 2 years – grade 2.
The book is a fictional title that is pretty informative. We learn what baby animals are called in an entertaining way. The humor comes in the disbelief of common baby animals when they realize that other animals are called the same thing: “No way, no how! That can’t be true!” yell a chick, a calf, a cub, a pup, dumbstruck and out of wits to have their names usurped.
Fleming’s narrative is energetically carried by rhyme and exclamations. The sentences are short and simple enough for babies to engage with and beginning readers to tackle independently. Scott’s adorable baby eyes make readers immediately fall in love with the characters. There is expression in every darling animal face and fluffy-body language. Readers will definitely have to change the playful inflection for animals that are surprised or absolutely bored with their identifications, which makes reading the title more fun.
Like the common baby chick, cow, lion, and dog, Born a Baby educates children outside their realm of familiarity — taking them to the pond, the ocean, the jungle, the Outback — to explore similarities in baby names. The front and back endpapers identify the animals by adult name and groups them into their baby name clusters, when appropriate. Children will find that they share baby identifications with at least two animals: the monkey and the goat, wherein lies the biggest joke of the book. After we learn that a baby shark is also called a pup, I usually pause and sing: “pup, pup, pup, doo doo doo doo doo doo…” to my daughter for extra giggles.
I definitely recommend I Was Born a Baby for every baby shower purchase and even why not read it before that game where we try to guess what baby animals are called! Attendants will ace the pop quiz!
Related Reading
Fleming and Scott have collaborated in what appears to be a sequel with the same boy and animals now telling us where they dwell: I Live in a Tree Trunk.
The 2023 Texas 2×2 list carries a few titles that have to do with animals and are perfect for babies and toddlers.
Solitary Animals: Introverts of the Wild (2022) Beautifully illustrated, this is great for shy children to find that not everyone wants to be part of a pack, at least, not all the time.
Odd Birds (2022, board book). Simple sentences leave the work to gorgeous and colorful illustrations. Back matter gives detail as to how the birds develop their oddities.
Bear Has a Belly (2022, board book) Children learn that they have the same body parts as animals and can probably use them in the same manner too.
Biblioterika 