Littles: And How They Grow

by Kelly DiPucchio, AG Ford (Illustrator)

Overview

In the beloved tradition of Robert Munsch’s Love You Forever and Emily Winfield Martin’s The Wonderful Things You Will Be comes a beautiful rhyming ode to babies from a New York Times bestselling author/illustrator duo—perfect for baby showers, first birthdays, and anytime babies are celebrated.
 
In this unforgettable, squeal-filled, tear-inducing love song to babies and how quickly they grow up, author Kelly DiPucchio’s heart-tugging rhyme meets the gorgeous, dimple-cheeked, multicultural babies of illustrator AG Ford. With adorable scenes from the busy life of a "little"—peekaboo, feedings, tantrums, giggles—and a final scene that reminds us how they become big kids all too soon, this is the ideal gift for any new parent and their child.

A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Book of the Year

A Carnegie Library Best Book for Babies

★ "A warmhearted celebration of early childhood."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"There's plenty of room on the shelf for this celebration of the similarities and connections among all our adorable littles."—Kirkus Reviews

"Will likely become the go-to baby shower gift."—School Library Journal

"This tender picture book will surely resonate with the parents and families of newborns."—Booklist

"Expectant families, especially those with soon-to-be older siblings, may enjoy using this sunny preview of life with the new baby to build and revel in the anticipation and excitement."—The Horn Book

"Have the tissues on hand for this incredibly sweet read that's equally enjoyable for parents and kids."—ReadBrightly.com
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399555268
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	06/13/2017
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,091,888
Product dimensions:	9.60(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD500L (what's this?)
Age Range:	Up to 3 Years

About the Author

KELLY DiPUCCHIO is the award-winning author of over twenty books for children, including Littles: And How They Grow, Gaston, and the New York Times bestsellers Grace for President and The Sandwich Swap. She lives in Michigan with her husband and three children. Visit Kelly online at kellydipucchio.com.

AG FORD is a three-time New York Times bestselling children’s book illustrator and recipient of two NAACP Image Awards. He has illustrated picture books by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sharon Robinson, Ilyasah Shabazz, Martin Luther King III, Nick Cannon, Jonah Winter, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and many others. He lives with his family in Frisco, Texas. Visit him online at agfordillustration.com.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/24/2017
In a warmhearted celebration of early childhood, newborns grow into babies, who become toddlers, and—in a final spread—reach school age. Although these multicultural “littles,” as DiPucchio (Everyone Loves Cupcake) calls them, take some hesitant steps here and there, her rhymes never do: they’re unerringly comforting and spot-on in their cadence and meter: “Littles are cuddled and cradled just right./ On bellies, with blankies, in slings snuggly tight.” Stylistically, the book is a major departure from Ford’s work in picture book biographies such as Hello, I’m Johnny Cash and JFK; like the littles themselves, his delicate cartoon vignettes of family life are playful, tender, and frisky: one little devours a birthday cake by the fistful, another sends soap suds flying while splashing in the bath, and a third sprawls out on a patchwork floor, flanked by its two mothers. DiPucchio’s verse and Ford’s charming artwork combine to create what feels like a scrapbook of treasured childhood moments—moments that adult readers know are all too fleeting. Ages 3–7. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (June)

Publishers Weekly

08/01/2017
Toddler-PreS–A rhyming love letter, posing as a picture book, that explains how quickly babyhood passes. The book starts with a baby swaddled in a bassinet and ends with kids waving goodbye as they get on a bus. Sweet rhyming text explains the different ways babies are cared for, "Littles are fed on soft laps and in chairs. They're nursed and they're spoon-fed cooked carrots and pears." The bright illustrations set against a white background elevate the text and celebrate diversity. Showcasing babies, families, and caregivers of multiple races, Ford also shows a baby being breast-fed, carried in a sling, and playing with two mothers along with many other scenarios. The cover features three babies of distinctly different races and will appeal to anyone looking for some diversity on the shelves. This book should find a home in all libraries, and will likely become the go-to baby shower gift. VERDICT An excellent purchase for collections, storytimes, and gifts.—Brooke Newberry, La Crosse Public Library, WI

School Library Journal

2017-03-15
"Littles are loved from the moment they're born. / They're swaddled, / and coddled, / and kissed every morn." Celebrating "littles" of various ethnicities, this book shows a diverse array of infants and toddlers, with skin of many colors and hair of different hues, enjoying sweet everyday moments with their families. Large, expressive illustrations set against white backgrounds and a simple rhyming text with a bouncy beat come together for enjoying one-on-one or with many at storytime. "Littles are cherished by kindhearted kin, / who sway and who play and make peekaboo grins." Affection abounds as a mother nurses, a father bathes the baby, grandparents play peekaboo, and siblings kiss a sleeping baby. Families include two light-skinned mamas, one dark-haired and the other blonde, with their dark-skinned little, as well as a mama and papa of different skin colors with their biracial twin littles. But beware—for "littles grow BIG in the blink of an eye." And before you know it, they are off to school, waving with delight. Though it begs comparison to beloved titles Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes, by Mem Fox and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (2008), and Everywhere Babies, by Susan Meyers and illustrated by Marla Frazee (2001), it has a joyous vivacity that's all its own. There's plenty of room on the shelf for this celebration of the similarities and connections among all our adorable littles. (Picture book. 2-4)

Kirkus Reviews

★ "a warmhearted celebration of early childhood"—Publishers Weekly, starred review

A Bank Street College of Education 2018 Best Children's Book of the Year

A Carnegie Library Best Book for Babies, 2018

"There's plenty of room on the shelf for this celebration of the similarities and connections among all our adorable littles."—Kirkus

"will likely become the go-to baby shower gift."—School Library Journal

"this tender picture book will surely resonate with the parents and families of newborns."—Booklist

"Expectant families, especially those with soon-to-be older siblings, may enjoy using this sunny preview of life with the new baby to build and revel in the anticipation and excitement."—Horn Book

"Have the tissues on hand for this incredibly sweet read that's equally enjoyable for parents and kids."—ReadBrightly.com

From the Publisher