Our Subway Baby

by Peter Mercurio, Leo Espinosa (Illustrator)

Overview

This gentle and incredibly poignant picture book tells the true story of how one baby found his home.

"Some babies are born into their families. Some are adopted. This is the story of how one baby found his family in the New York City subway."

So begins the true story of Kevin and how he found his Daddy Danny and Papa Pete. Written in a direct address to his son, Pete's moving and emotional text tells how his partner, Danny, found a baby tucked away in the corner of a subway station on his way home from work one day. Pete and Danny ended up adopting the baby together. Although neither of them had prepared for the prospect of parenthood, they are reminded, "Where there is love, anything is possible."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525427544
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	09/15/2020
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	42,665
Product dimensions:	11.40(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD630L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Peter Mercurio is the founder and artistic director of Other Side Productions, a nonprofit theater company, and has written for the New York Times, Marie Claire Australia, and Reader's Digest. Peter lives in New York City with his husband, Danny, and their son, Kevin, and has played on the same softball team for over twenty years.

Leo Espinosa is an award-winning illustrator and designer from Bogotá, Colombia, whose work has been featured in the New Yorker, Wired, Esquire, the New York Times, the Atlantic, and more. Leo's illustrations have been recognized by American Illustration, Communication Arts, Pictoplasma, 3x3, and the Society of Illustrators. Leo lives with his family in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Editorial Reviews

"The story excels at highlighting the determination of loving fathers while still including realistic moments of hesitation, doubt, and fear that occur for new and soon-to-be parents . . . Family snapshots and a closing author’s note emphasize that the most important thing in any family is love." —Kirkus

"A sweet tribute to an enduring love that grew from happenstance, this suggested general purchase for all libraries praises the love of a diverse family." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

09/01/2020

Gr 1–3—A Black baby boy was abandoned in a corner of the New York Subway and rescued by a worker returning home. The young man's call for police help and later call to the judge in charge of the little one's case asking about his welfare progressed to an inquiry about adoption. With digitally created, mixed media art, the book presents the miraculous events, from the news coverage to the emotions on the faces of the two young white gay men: excitement battling hesitation over small incomes, bringing a baby into a tiny apartment, or whether they are ready to be parents. As a unique family, the journey from simply Danny and Pete to "Daddy Danny and Papa Pete" evolves as little Kevin wraps his hand around Pete's fingers (and his heart). Welcoming family members are supported in preparing a home by new relatives—aunts, uncles, cousins, Grandma and Grandpa, and everything a new baby could need. VERDICT A sweet tribute to an enduring love that grew from happenstance, this suggested general purchase for all libraries praises the love of a diverse family and includes an authors' note on their continued life together, the marriage of Danny and Pete, and more recent photos of a grown-up Kevin with his two dads.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano I.S.D., TX

School Library Journal

2020-06-16
Families are formed everywhere—including large metropolitan mass-transit systems!

Baby Kevin, initially known as “Danny ACE Doe,” was found in the New York City’s 14th Street subway station, which serves the A-C-E lines, by one of his future fathers, Danny. Kevin’s other father, Pete (author Mercurio), serves as the narrator, explaining how the two men came to add the newborn to their family. Readers are given an abridged version of the story from Danny and Pete’s point of view as they work to formally adopt Kevin and bring him home in time for Christmas. The story excels at highlighting the determination of loving fathers while still including realistic moments of hesitation, doubt, and fear that occur for new and soon-to-be parents. The language is mindful of its audience (for example using “piggy banks” instead of “bank accounts” to discuss finances) while never patronizing young readers. Espinosa’s posterlike artwork—which presents the cleanest New York readers are ever likely to see—extends the text and makes use of unexpected angles to heighten emotional scenes and moments of urgency. The diversity of skin tones, ages, and faces (Danny and Pete both present white, and Kevin has light brown skin) befits the Big Apple. Family snapshots and a closing author’s note emphasize that the most important thing in any family is love. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.3-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 43% of actual size.)

A delightful story of love and hope. (Informational picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews