The Baby That Roared

K-Gr 2—"All babies are beautiful" is a common belief among parents, and Mr. and Mrs. Deer are no exception. The happy couple rejoices when a bundle of joy shows up on their doorstep, as they have always wanted a baby to love. However, though this infant sports antlers, it is not very deerlike-in fact, it's spherical and covered in blue fur. As soon as the Deers take him in, the baby won't stop roaring. Like all new parents, they call a lifeline or two to come and help with the fussy youngster. Unfortunately, when the visitors are left alone with it, they quickly disappear. Granny Bear saves the day; when she burps the little troublemaker, all the other visitors are spit back up. Then the "dear little baby" is revealed to be "a LITTLE MONSTER!" Though the creature scampers off, the Deers' empty nest is refilled when a sweet blue "kitten" shows up at the end of the story. Children will absolutely delight in the silliness of this book. The illustrations are colorful, engaging, and quite funny. Be prepared for hilarity when you turn to the "burp!" spread. A great read-aloud or lap read, this one will have older children checking to see if their younger siblings are what they seem.—Jasmine L. Precopio, Fox Chapel Area School District, Pittsburgh, PA