I Am a Baby
Age 2+
Picture Storybooks
A hilariously deadpan look at new parenthood – from a baby’s point of view.
I am not sleepy.
I am not sleepy because I am a baby.
Mummy is sleepy.
Mummy is sleepy because I am a baby.
With humour and sympathy, Bob Shea looks at the chaos of life with a baby as amiably narrated by the new arrival. Repeating the mantra (and blithe explanation) “because I am a baby,” the tiny narrator leads us through scenes of exhaustion, grumpiness, squishy nappies, spilled milk, cowering kittens and chubby overfed pups (oopsie!). Playing against the simple, matter-of-fact text are freewheeling illustrations of mess and mayhem, in which the grown-ups’ exaggerated body language is sure to send older children into fits of giggles. With its endearing, unabashedly self-pleased star, I Am a Baby will find a place at showers, in nurseries, on parents’ shelves and in the hands of appreciative big siblings, as it celebrates the changes a little one brings, at once challenging and full of love.
Creators
Bob Shea is the author, illustrator, or author-illustrator of many well-loved picture books and chapter books, including the Ballet Cat and Dinosaur vs. series as well as Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great; Unicorn Is Maybe Not So Great After All; Crash, Splash, Moo!; and Who Wet My Pants?, which was illustrated by Zacharia OHora. Bob Shea’s characters and animations have appeared on Nick Jr., Playhouse Disney, and PBS KIDS. He lives in Connecticut, USA.
Reviews
Bob Shea’s I Am a Baby is a genuinely funny look at new parenthood through the blithely unaware (but extremely pleased with themselves) perspective of a newborn baby. Hilariously deadpan, this is perfect for someone who’s already run the first-time parenting gauntlet to share with someone still in the trenches.
Readings
