Review - That's for Babies

That's for Babies
by Jackie Azúa Kramer
illustrated by Lisa Brandenburg
Date: 2019
Publisher: Clavis
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book
Pages: 32
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley

From the author and illustrator of IF YOU WANT TO FALL ASLEEP!

Prunella wakes up on the morning of her birthday and announces,

“I’m a big kid now.” She doesn’t want to do any of the things she usually loves.

“That’s for babies,” she announces over and over again.

Even her favorite doll is abandoned.

But what happens when a big kid gets scared during the night?

A story about growing up, for little kids and big kids ages 5 years and up.

(synopsis from Goodreads)

That's for Babies is a book about an ugly little girl with an ugly name and an ugly attitude. I really didn't enjoy this one, and though the eventual message was okay, I'm confused and unsatisfied with the way the book came around to that conclusion.

Prunella (yes, the parents named their kid after the wrinkly fruit you eat when you're constipated) wakes up on the morning of her birthday and suddenly thinks everything is for babies. I'm not kidding. Everything. Her toys (even her favourites) are for babies. Heart-shaped pancakes are for babies. Educational songs are for babies. Animal crackers, bubble baths, and getting tucked in? All for babies. So are playground equipment, imagination, and ice cream. Seriously, I don't know where this kid got her warped ideas, but I suspect they're from her parents, since the illustrations show plenty of other children engaging in these activities. So that's a bit disturbing to me. Someone in this child's life has been telling her what they think age-appropriate activities are, but it's a really small list. Eating ice cream is for babies? Really?!

Pru (if the author really wanted to use that nickname, she should've just gone with "Prudence"; I just can't get past the laxative fruit name) gets scared one night during a thunderstorm and jumps into her parents' bed, after which her attitude magically changes. Now it's okay to engage in all those babyish activities. The book ends with Pru's parents telling her that if she's ever scared, she can sleep in their bed, and we have the following conclusion:

"I know," said Prunella.
"But that's for babies...
... and big kids like me!"

It's a weird, abrupt turnaround, and I don't really understand how being scared during a thunderstorm erases her weird, ageist attitude.

The illustrations are really not my thing. There are a few that are sort of cute, but they're kind of uneven, so some renderings of Prunella are rather unpleasant. Her parents are just creepy. I don't like the style of art in this book at all.

There have got to be better books about growing up and leaving childish things behind. Those books probably don't include ice cream and having fun as stuff that's only allowed for babies.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clavis for providing a digital ARC.

Premise: 1/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 2/5
Illustrations: 1/5
Originality: 2/5

Enjoyment: 1/5

Overall: 1.33 out of 5