This lovely journey through a baby’s day will yield rich rewards and repeated readings for our youngest subscribers and their families. The watercolour illustrations reflect the everyday experiences of very small children, from playtime to naptime to taking a walk in the pushchair. The images of a smiling grandmother and baby exude joy and energy, whether they’re sitting on the rug stacking blocks or clapping and dancing to music. (The only time baby stops smiling is bathtime!) Children can look out for the cat, peering over the table or into the bath, always on the fringes of the action.
The book’s focus on sounds heard through the day, such as the pop of a jar of food being opened, is unusual and engaging, and young readers can imitate some sounds and create new ones for other parts of the text.
We know that the family is Jewish through the words in Ivrit. Grandma is Savta, and the story opens and closes with the Hebrew phrases boker tov (good morning) and hakol sheket (all is quiet). The book is strong on Jewish values too. In their own ways, Savta and baby show gratitude for their time together and for the little things in life, and Savta helps baby to appreciate nature (hakarat hatov). Above all, the bond between them is a beautiful example of l’dor vador, from generation to generation.
May 28, 2019