A Band of Babies

by Carole Gerber, Jane Dyer (Illustrator)

Overview

Named one of Amazon's Best Children’s Books of 2017: Baby to Age 2

New York Times bestselling illustrator Jane Dyer teams up with award-winning author Carole Gerber to lead a band of marching babies all through town.

It was just an ordinary day at play group until Benny arrived. With flute in hand and drums in tow, Benny’s love of music inspires the babies to get up and put on a show. Toot! Toot! Whee! Benny and his band of babies are a sight to see!

With rhythmic text from veteran author Carole Gerber and lively illustrations from bestselling artist Jane Dyer, this musical journey will have readers of all ages snapping their fingers and tapping their toes!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061689550
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	06/06/2017
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	641,133
Product dimensions:	10.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Jane Dyer is the illustrator of the New York Times bestselling Cookies series by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, as well as numerous other award-winning picture books. She lives and works in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2017
Benny, a newcomer to play group, exudes energy as he toddles into a room filled with bored babies, whose eyes brighten with anticipation. After Benny pulls a drum from a toy box, his playmates follow suit, and Gerber’s (Tuck-in Time) story takes off—as do the babies. Drumsticks in hand, Benny issues a command (“ ‘Sticks!’ says Benny. Babies cheer./ ‘Go!’ says Benny. ‘Out of here’ ”), and the round-faced toddlers happily bang on drums as they follow Benny to a grocery store. (Lest adult readers worry too much, the babies’ caretaker is present throughout, making their adventure feel more like a chaotic field trip than a great escape.) Dyer’s (the Cookies series) soft colored pencil illustrations delight in the messy havoc wrought by this multiracial crew as the toddlers topple displays, feast on goodies, and leave behind a trail of leftovers when they finally totter out of the shop: “Babies wobble. Babies stoop./ Babies’ eyelids start to droop.” It’s an exuberant celebration of toddlers’ willful, can’t-be-stopped independence, and Gerber’s carefully crafted rhymes and Dyer’s cherubic portraits balance tenderness and mischief on each page. Ages 4–8. (June)

Publishers Weekly

07/01/2017
Baby-Toddler—A nursery school class of babies are fretful during a morning playgroup until a newcomer named Benny arrives. Benny rallies the now excited troops, and, as the title suggests, they form a makeshift band. Cheerfully marching with instruments, the babies parade around town, including to the market, where they get some snacks and cause some light mischief, before growing tired. The story concludes with the sleepy babies heading back to their nursery school, returning their instruments, and snuggling together for a nap. This adorable title makes for an engaging read, particularly for toddlers. While lively, the book never feels too frenetic or raucous. Gerber writes succinctly, with short, bouncy rhymes that fit well with the musical theme. Dyer's gentle illustrations, created using colored pencils and featuring several spreads, are detailed, with warm, muted colors and soft lines. The cast of babies are happily diverse, and Benny, the leader of the babies' band and the only child named in the story, is African American. While the little ones march throughout town, their adult caretaker is depicted alongside them, ensuring that they have safe travels. VERDICT A charming picture book that is sprightly in tone and text. A rollicking read-aloud.—Laura J. Giunta, Garden City Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

2017-03-15
A precocious toddler leads his multiethnic play group in fun and mischief.All the babies in the group are waiting for inspiration when brown-skinned, kinky-haired Benny arrives and stirs things up. He pulls out toy instruments, and the little ones bang and toot and form a parade. The exuberant crew heads for the market next door and grabs some food supplies, causing quite a bit of gleeful mayhem, tumbling items from the shelves. After eating all their snacks right there in the market—and leaving a prodigious mess—they begin to tire and are perfectly content to return to play-group headquarters for naptime. Gerber employs lilting syntax with bouncy rhymes that move those babies across the pages until they collapse in a sleepy heap. The bold, large-type text appears in generous white space above or below the illustrations. Dyer's very softly hued illustrations, rendered in textured colored pencil, fill double-page spreads that follow the toddlers on their adventures. As well as belonging to myriad races, the toddlers demonstrate individual personalities. Lest readers fear that these babies have escaped without supervision, their teacher is with them every step of the way, letting them explore freely, much to the consternation of the storekeeper. Small groups or baby on a lap will work best for sharing this book, as the lovely but very pale visuals are difficult to see from afar. Exuberant and full of fun. (Picture book. 2-6)

Kirkus Reviews

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