The Baby Goes Beep

See how the baby goes Beep Boom La Flip Yum Splash Smooch! Busy Baby!

About the Author :
Rebecca O'Connell says, "In eleven years as a librarian, I've led more than 2,000 story times. The rhythm and pacing of a read-aloud got into my head and came out as "The Baby Goes Beep."" Ms. O'Connell lives in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, with her husband, son and three cats. Ken Wilson-Max says, "When I first read "The Baby Goes Beep" text, I immediately liked its liveliness and sense of fun. Then I worked out my vision of the baby's day. Mr. Wilson-Max trained as a graphic designer in Zimbabwe, where he was born. He now lives in London, where he illustrates picture books in a variety of formats.

Review :
Publishers Weekly Wilson-Max transforms O'Connell's onomatopoeic baby sounds into the rhythmic accompaniment to a toddler's daily routine. He begins with the endpapers, portraying the baby in his or her car seat with its own steering wheel, on which "the baby goes Beep" as the father drives. For the most part, the artist's paintings effortlessly connect the scenes, as the baby goes from car to house "beep beep[ing]" the father's nose. When "the baby goes Splash," using a spoon to send food flying over high chair, bib and face, the artist makes a smooth transition to the tub on the next spread, where "the baby goes Splash Splash Splash Splash"; whale, frog, ducks, ball and boat float merrily alongside the now squeaky-clean star. After a "Smooch" goodnight, the baby goes "Shh" in the crib alongside a tuckered out mother and father. But the parting scene shows that Baby is just getting started (standing up, wide awake in the crib). All babies will recognize the important elements of their day in these energetic scenes, and should chime right in with the familiar sounds. Booklist From playtime to mealtime, bath time to bedtime, the active toddler in this on-target picture book punctuates a day's activities with beeps, booms, splashes, and other irresistible words. Using bouncy text ("The baby goes Yum / The baby goes Yum Yum / The baby goes Yum Yum Yum Yum"), O'Connell plays on the delighted repetition and experimentation that are hallmarks of language development. Seasoned illustrator Wilson-Max, whose saturated colors and sturdy black outlines have earned him a following among toddlers and preschoolers, humorously extends O'Connell's words; in one scene, enthusiastic "beeps" inspired by a car ride are followed by impish beeps as the baby honks Dad's nose. With its exuberant mood and bold, playfully varied fonts, this celebration of noisiness makes for an ideal participatory storytime. It also gives silence its due; on the last spread, a wide-awake baby shushes itself Publishers Weekly Wilson-Max transforms O'Connell's onomatopoeic baby sounds into the rhythmic accompaniment to a toddler's daily routine. He begins with the endpapers, portraying the baby in his or her car seat with its own steering wheel, on which "the baby goes Beep" as the father drives. For the most part, the artist's paintings effortlessly connect the scenes, as the baby goes from car to house "beep beep[ing]" the father's nose. When "the baby goes Splash," using a spoon to send food flying over high chair, bib and face, the artist makes a smooth transition to the tub on the next spread, where "the baby goes Splash Splash Splash Splash"; whale, frog, ducks, ball and boat float merrily alongside the now squeaky-clean star. After a "Smooch" goodnight, the baby goes "Shh" in the crib alongside a tuckered out mother and father. But the parting scene shows that Baby is just getting started (standing up, wide awake in the crib). All babies will recognize the important elements of