cover image Babymoon

Babymoon

Hayley Barrett, illus. by Juana Martinez-Neal. Candlewick, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-7636-8852-3

During their “babymoon,” two new parents learn the rhythms of caring for their newborn. The moments shared between the family members are tender, joyful, and sometimes anxious: “Here together. So much to learn./ We muddle through each new concern./ We’re reassuring, building trust—/ believing that we’ll soon adjust.” A scruffy dog and cat gaze on the new arrival with subdued interest as the human pair comforts, bathes, and changes the infant. The child’s mother and father are rendered as comforting yet vulnerable figures with rounded bodies and enclosing arms; the child sports dark hair and wears hues of yellow. A graceful celebration of the uncertainty and delight of new parenthood. Ages 2–5. [em](Apr.) [/em]