Baby Bookworm by Dr. John Hutton and Dr. V.G. Jain

 

 Baby Bookworm by Dr. John Hutton and Dr. V.G. Jain. Illustrated by Leah Busch Rocket. Blue Manatee Press, 2022. Board book.

The reason I am so in love with this small book is that years ago I worked with young families who had babies in the neonatal intensive care unit. They were often scared. Many were single teenage mothers who totally unfamiliar with hospitals and at-risk babies. How I wish we had had this comforting little book back then!

The soft watercolor illustrations are lovely. The words are simple and rhyming. The real asset to the board book, is the hospital setting. The little book is small enough to fit into a purse and take anywhere. It is designed to read to babies in isolettes and elsewhere. Its words are calm, reassuring, and hopeful. Telling about what tiny babies need and encouraging parents to talk and read to them is more than helpful, it is essential.

The authors are pediatric and neonatal specialists. Blue Manatee Press is to be commended for such a publication and should be encouraged to do more like it!