Upsy-Daisy, Baby!
by Susan Hughes
illustrated by Ashley Barron
Date: 2019
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Reading level: C
Book type: picture book non-fiction
Pages: 24
Format: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Around the world, little ones are carried in many different ways: in slings, on shoulders, in backpacks, on hips, in baskets, and in loving arms. Upsy-Daisy, Baby! depicts ten places around the world, from Afghanistan to northern Canada, Peru to West Africa. In each place, a mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or sibling lovingly carries a baby.
With various family configurations and settings ranging from a busy outdoor market to a high-rise apartment kitchen, the book wholeheartedly celebrates diversity. Gorgeous cut-paper collage art adds warmth and brightness, and brings the lyrical text to life. Repetition of the phrase “Upsy-daisy” on each spread lends familiarity, and reminds readers that love for a little one is a universal feeling.
(synopsis from Goodreads)
The collage illustrations in this book are gorgeous, and probably the highlight of the book. I was looking forward to seeing the various ways in which people around the world carry their babies, and while that was shown, I feel like I didn't learn much. Part of the problem is the sparse text. None of the locations or cultures are actually named, so you have to guess at where they're supposed to be. (I can see how adding that would've cluttered up the text, but a page of notes at the end detailing the various locations would've been nice.)
Aside from perhaps making children want to haul around their baby sibling in a basket hanging from a pole, this is probably a safe bet for a book that young kids are going to enjoy. There are plenty of cute babies and colourful locations to look at.
Thank you to NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing a digital ARC.
Premise: 3/5
Meter: n/a
Writing: 3/5
Illustrations: 4/5
Originality: 4/5
Enjoyment: 3/5
Overall: 3.33 out of 5
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