[I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.]

BAH! Said the Baby is a bright, playful, and happy picture book about the bewilderment, the resignation, and the elation of figuring out what in the world the baby could be talking about.  This picture book may be a fictional work, but it speaks great truth and resonates perfectly with what it is like to play “baby charades”.

BAH! Said the Baby is about a family trying to figure out what the baby means when he says, “BAH!”

Could he mean ball, book, or bow?  No, it seems not. Could he mean brother, bunny, or lamb? No, still not it.  How about bear, block, or bottle?

Surely it has to be one of these things! No? Well, then what could this baby possibly be talking about? He clearly means something when he says, “BAH!”

Will this family ever find out?

Yes. Yes, in fact they do find out and it is a joyful and therapeutic ending for all! What a happy story!

The illustrations are splendid!  They’re clear and direct with a minimalist style that is beautiful.  The bold, bright, cheerful colors and sparse background make comprehending this book very easy even for very young children.  The words are clearly understood, and overall simply a great experience for baby, siblings, and parents.

This book is as validating for the baby experiencing this book as it is for all of those trying to interpret what that BAH! might actually mean.

This book has been profoundly entertaining and therapeutic in our house as we all struggle to figure out what our littlest one means when he says BAH!, which he does say often.  This is also the very first narrated picture book that my littlest one not only sits through, but also then repeatedly asks to read again.  BAH! Said the Baby has been a breakthrough book for us. Until this book, my littlest one wasn’t all that interested in picture books and while I wasn’t worried, it wasn’t a happy thing.  This book spoke my littlest one’s language and clued him in that picture books are pretty awesome.

This book is also one of our newly quoted books — often times when our littlest one says BAH!  one of us will then say, “Said the baby!” in playful reference to this book. This book has a perfect resonance and staying power that I so dearly appreciate.

I hope you get a chance to check it out — especially if you have a member of your family who is currently in a “BAH!” stage.

Recommended Ages Roughly 3 to 5. Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA). April 14, 2015. 32 pages. ISBN:978-0399166068 Fiction. Hardcover.

Where to Get it:

• [Affiliate Link] Amazon.com
• [Independent Bookstore] Indiebound.org
• [Library] Woldcat.org

You Should Read BAH! Said the Baby because:

• This book speaks a truth about baby babble interpretation that I have not seen before.
• I read this book and thought, “Oh thank goodness, it isn’t just us!  This must be a fairly ubiquitous situation for this to be in a picture book.”  My eldest son thought, “That’s just like us! They don’t know what the baby is saying either!”
• My littlest son did not take his eyes off the book and when we finished did the baby sign for ‘more’ with some ‘mmm’ verbalizations and sat contentedly as we read it over and over again.
• The direct and clear writing and use of extremely common first words make this book abundantly clear to even the very young (my youngest is 15 months old).
• Admittedly, I’m incredibly biased because my littlest one would not sit all the way though a narrated picture book until this one, but he will patiently and happily sit through this book as I read it word for word.  Once we’re finished, he’ll eagerly do the “more” baby sign to ask that I read it to him again. So naturally, I’m sure that this is the best book in the world.  I might be a little biased, though.  Or not.  You’ll have to read it and let me know what you think.  Did your little one have the same reaction?  I hope so, because it is so much fun!

Author and Illustrator Websites:

• Jennifer Plecas

More Reviews of this Book:

• Kirkus Reviews
• Youth Services Book Review

Where Obtained:  I received a review copy from the publisher. No other compensation was received.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

FTC Disclosures:  Some of the links in the post above are Amazon affiliate links and others are IndieBound affiliate links. If you click on the link and purchase something, I will receive an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Which goes to fund my family’s picture book habit.  It’s a vicious cycle, but we manage.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”