B is for Baby

It is time to visit Baba in the next village. Big Brother will cycle over with a big basket of bananas and,though he doesn’t know it, baby. They will pass the baobab tree, cycle down the bumpy path, meet butterflies, birds and a baboon – and finally be welcomed by Baba.

Bold illustrations that fully occupy each spread whether as single pages or double, crossing the gutter, bring this enchanting, accessible picture book to life. The artist’s vibrant palette ensures each composition is not just immediate but full of details to extend and add to the spare text which revolves around the letter B creating a lovely rhythm with each repetition. The author, Atinuke, lives in Wales but here, as with her Anna Hibiscus and No 1 Car Spotter series, she takes us to West Africa and Angela Brooksbank responds bringing a landscape different to some but recognisable and familiar to others, to a vivid reality. We are with Big Brother as he cycles down that bumpy track; we giggle with Baby hiding among the bananas.

This is a truly joyous picture book that will be a delight to share with Baby, opening eyes and minds. It is one to join Handa and Mr Gumpy on the shelf or in the Kinderbox and will hopefully enchant babies and their parents (and grandparents) for many years.