CM Magazine: No Room for Baby!

________________ CM . . . . Volume XXIV Number 7. . . .October 20, 2017

cover
No Room for Baby!

Émile Jadoul.
Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2017.
28 pp., hardcover, $18.99.
ISBN 978-1-77138-841-2.

Preschool-kindergarten / Ages 2-5.

Review by Beth Wilcox Chng.

**** /4

excerpt:

At last, Leon’s little brother, Marcel, has arrived!

Marcel is sound asleep in his cozy crib.

“He’s going to stay in there forever, right?” Leon asks.

“Well, not forever,” Mama says with a smile. “He’ll grow.”

Originally published in France under the title Dans mes Bras, No Room for Baby! will appeal to families with young children.

      This charming picture book by the prolific Belgian author and illustrator Émile Jadoul is about a little anthropomorphic penguin named Leon who has a new baby brother, Marcel. Leon wonders where they will put Marcel when he is not in his crib. It seems like Leon is having a difficult time accepting his brother into the family. Leon and his parents list several places in their home where Marcel can stay, including Leon’s room and his mother’s lap, but Leon declares each place to be unsuitable for Marcel. In a heartwarming twist on expectations, Leon finally declares that the perfect place for Marcel is in Leon’s arms.

      The illustrations were rendered using black pencil crayon and oil paints, giving it a charming uncluttered visual appeal. No Room for Baby! is the first book about Leon translated into English and published by Kids Can Press. Other titles with this character are available in French.

      The limited amount of text and the emotional content of this story make it an accessible read- aloud to young children. No Room for Baby! will be enjoyed by many families welcoming younger siblings.

Highly Recommended

Beth Wilcox Chng is a teacher-librarian in Prince George, BC. She is a graduate of the Master of Arts in Children’s Literature program at the University of British Columbia.

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