I Was Born a Baby (I Was Born a Baby)

Pups, calves, chicks, cubs, and other young announce themselves to comedic effect in this polished picture book, which tugs at the seeming illogic of nomenclature. Starting with a human child with dark brown skin, different youths present themselves ("I was born a baby./ I was born a colt.// I was born a piglet./ I'm a billy goat"), but a challenge arises when some discover they share a name. After a dog claims to be a pup, for example, a seal pipes up ("No way, no how!/ That can't be true!") as do a bat, beaver, and shark ("I'm a pup!/ I'm a pup!// I'm a pup, too!"). Though an end page might be read as comparing skin color and species, Scott's digitally rendered critters are wide-eyed and full of personality, and scenes vividly capture the absurdity afoot, echoing Fleming's rhythmic prose, which emphasizes the silliness of language and introduces vocabulary-building terms, such as hoglet and puggle. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)

K-Gr 2--Adorable, simplified illustrations of wide-eyed baby animals appear in colorful scenes alongside their formal diminutives: "calves" for young giraffes, whales, and hippos; "chicks" for different kinds of birds. In a funny first-person narration, and along with a surprised-looking Black child, the animals tell readers what they are: "I was born a baby." "I was born a colt." "I was born a piglet." "I was born a billy goat." In briskly rhythmic text, Fleming then expounds on the life cycle of a few creatures, e.g., tadpole, to froglet, to toadlet. In another case, the conversation is about all the "kids" who aren't actually human. It's a lighthearted look at naming and categorization, and not intended to be comprehensive; the emphasis is on babies, erratic naming conventions, and the joy of being young. VERDICT Other volumes take this topic on, but for educators seeking a breezy approach, this is a nice addition to the shelves.--Amanda Chacon