Publishers Weekly Review
| The happy, ungendered baby at the center of this day-in-the-life-style book luxuriates in maternal adoration. Opening with a scene of the smiling infant receiving a "hug" from peach-skinned Mommy and a "squeeze" from brown-skinned Mama, the cheerful narrative proceeds to capture a meal, a mess, a farm visit, and a bath and bedtime routine. With minimal plotting and simple rhyming couplets, Membrino emphasizes family togetherness throughout. "Mama's voice is soft and low./ Mommy smiles, my heart glows.// I love my moms and they love me./ Together we are family!" Ruiz's soft illustrations are outlined in multicolored lines and washed in flowery pastels; uncluttered, light-infused scenes radiantly capture the family's contentment. Together, pictures and text alike present a tender portrait of the moms' love for each other and their child. Ages 3--5. (Mar.) |
School Library Journal Review
| Toddler-K--A tender love story celebrating a same-sex, interracial family, this board book offers a much-needed representation in early childhood literature. Told from a baby's perspective, the narrative highlights a day filled with warmth and affection: "A hug from Mommy, warm and right. A squeeze from Mama feels just right. This is how my mommies say, 'We love you, baby, night and day!'" The muted palette and bold digital illustrations perfectly complement the heartfelt text, creating a cozy, inclusive reading experience. VERDICT This title fills a vital gap in the board book collection and is a must-have for all shelves. |
Kirkus Review
| A same-sex couple spends the day with their baby. Narrated in rhyming couplets and told from the perspective of the baby (whose gender is left wide open), this story follows a new family through their daily routine. The day starts with cuddles and breakfast. After a fun outing to a farm, the trio enjoys singalongs on the drive home. Next comes a bubble bath, a cozy bottle feeding, and some quiet time, then it's off to bed…but not before a bedtime story! Each activity is permeated with gestures of love and tenderness between parents and baby and between the two mothers themselves, whether it's "a hug from Mommy, warm and tight," a tickle, or Mama's voice that is "soft and low." In one scene, the entire family unit shares a joyous moment, dancing together in the sunshine. The moms--one of whom is White and the other, Black--care for the baby equally in complementary ways. The text flows along like a peaceful river, and the illustrations are full of gentle light, conveying an almost dreamlike serenity with their pastel, watercolorlike washes. The artwork has a subtle rainbow gradient running through it, and smiles abound on every page so that a palpable joy radiates from the center of the little, close-knit family. Read-aloud enthusiasts will quickly warm up to this sweet picture book, and many readers will appreciate its affirming portrayal of an LGBTQ+ and interracial family. Lovely. (Picture book. 3-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission. |
