Where Did That Baby Come From? - Softcover

Debi Gliori is the author and illustrator of many books for children, including the very popular Mr Bear series. She won the Children's Book Award picture book section, and was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1997. Her backlist in Doubleday/Corgi includes Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep and The Very Small. Pure Dead Magic, which introduced the Strega-Borgias, was her first novel. It was followed by Pure Dead Wicked, Pure Dead Brilliant, Deep Trouble, Deep Water and Deep Fear. Debi lives in Scotland, near Edinburgh.

PreSchool-Grade 3–Replete with boisterous and colorful illustrations of a loving, though slightly disheveled tiger family, this is a rhyming tale of a confused child's initial aversion to and eventual acceptance of the newcomer. Upon the arrival of a new sibling that seems only to leak and squeak, a young tiger asks reasonably, "Where did that baby come from?/And can we take it back?" Curious about the infant's origins, the young feline wonders if the pest came from a store, was sprouted out of a seed, got picked up by mistake at the zoo, etc. Perhaps it came from outer space. The infant is shown on a full spread, wailing alone on a distant planet. This image apparently causes a change of heart as the older sibling becomes a concerned caregiver. "Oh, baby, please don't weep./I'll keep you warm, and safe from harm,/and help you fall asleep." While some of the illustrations are nearly overwhelming with busy scenes and borders, they reflect the chaos of the familial situation. Although there are a number of books about new siblings, this funny and rhythmic perspective is worth a look.–Piper L. Nyman, formerly at Fairfield Civic Center Library, CA
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