nice story ( )

Baby is turning one in this sweet Australian picture-book, and his parents throw him a birthday party at the park, complete with treats, games and lots and lots of other babies. The babies have lots of different qualities and characteristics - shy, friendly, brave and fussy - but all have (mostly) a good time, and birthday baby goes home happy but exhausted...

Originally published down under in 2018 as Birthday Baby, and then here in the states in 2019 as Baby Day - I have no idea why the title needed to be changed - this book pairs a very simple text from co-authors Jane Godwin and Davina Bell with lovely, expressive artwork from illustrator Freya Blackwood. This is my first title from Godwin, but I know Bell's work through such titles as All the Ways to Be Smart and Captain Starfish, and Blackwood is a personal favorite, when it comes to picture-book illustrators. It was my love for her work, in fact, that led me to track this one down. As mentioned, I found it sweet, although the chief appeal for me was Blackwood's artwork. It's very simple, and is one I would chiefly recommend to picture-book readers looking for baby and toddler titles, as well as to fellow fans of the artist. ( )