Wriggly, Wriggly Baby - Hardcover

Clerk, Jessica

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0590960679 ISBN 13: 9780590960670

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2002

Synopsis

What do wriggly babies want? Adventure! And here it is!

If a baby likes to wobble and to wriggle and to bop,
He could bobble out the back door -- and then not stop!
Zip over to the zoo where he'd bow before the beasts,
Then dance down to the diner for a most delicious feast,
Shimmy sweetly at the seashore, and when he's seen all to be seen,
He could come home to his parents -- and settle down to dream.

Jessica Clerk and Laura Rankin combine their unique artistic talents in this snappy, sing-songy, sensational story of a baby on the move.

About this title

Review:

A wriggly baby manages to wriggle right past his parents and into the middle of an exciting rhyming adventure. "He slithered down the banister; he inched across the floor, / waved good-bye to the parrot . . . and skittered out the door." Lucky for the little one that the family dog and cat seem to be in all the right places, waiting with a fluffy pillow at the base of the stairs and following along as he skips down the sidewalk. He rolls past the firehouse and then takes a detour to swing in the park. The three decide to visit the zoo, dancing with the tigers and putting on a show for the elephants. A stop at Flo's Diner finds them stuffing their mouths with all sorts of food, but even the cuisine will not stop this baby's travels. Somehow the baby and his furry friends manage to stay one step ahead of his parents and his adventure continues. After visiting the circus and then taking a trip to the seashore to see the whales, the baby finally realizes that maybe he's a little lonely and he wriggles home to find his very worried parents. A wink toward his co-conspirators makes it obvious that this is not the last adventure for this trio. Ink and acrylic illustrations accompany this fanciful story; the rosy-cheeked youngster and expressive animals will make it a favorite and the bouncy rhythm is sure to have readers wriggling with pleasure.--Kirkus Reviews

A round-headed baby wriggles against the pure white of the opening spread. But just wriggling on a rug isn't enough for this twitchy child. It wriggles out the door and into adventure, making stops at the zoo, the circus, and the beach. The infectious rhyme meets its match in the watercolor-and-ink paintings that show the baby on the move- tumbling, tripping, swinging, always in motion. There is whimsical humor, too, as when Dad flies on a trapeze, holding Mom by the legs as she seeks-her child in the circus crowd. One slight problem-the baby, who initially looks too young to walk, transforms into a toddler by mid-book. Oh well, it is the whimsy that counts here, and this jolly offering is nothing but.–Booklist, October 1st, 2002

With lots of nonsense words and continuous bursts of energy, this text follows the activities of one happy-go-lucky baby who can't stay still. After slithering down the banister and skittering out the door, he "skeeters" his way, with the family dog and cat in tow, from the park to the zoo, where he tangos with the tigers and babbles to the bears. Then it's on to the circus and the fair, ending at the ocean where he waltzes with whales. When the moon goes behind a cloud and his protective sidekicks fall asleep, the baby finds himself all alone and is ready to go home. His parents, who have been a few steps behind him all day, welcome him home, where, just maybe, he'll go to bed. While the rhyming text sets a rollicking pace, it's really the vividness and fullness of the illustrations that keep the story moving. The pen-and-ink and acrylic drawings bubble with joy. Bright, clean light permeates each page while the scenes come alive through detail and playful characterization. The baby is dressed in a brightly striped, footed onesie that draws the eye, helping readers keep track of him on every page. Meanwhile, the parents are hot on his trail but keep looking the wrong way. This misdirection adds humor despite the adults' obvious concern. Much like James Stevenson's Rolling Rose (Greenwillow, 1992), this independent youngster safely cruises the town with abandon. The book provides readers the vicarious pleasure of joining such a whimsical journey.--School Library Journal

From School Library Journal:

reSchool-Grade 1-With lots of nonsense words and continuous bursts of energy, this text follows the activities of one happy-go-lucky baby who can't stay still. After slithering down the banister and skittering out the door, he "skeeters" his way, with the family dog and cat in tow, from the park to the zoo, where he tangos with the tigers and babbles to the bears. Then it's on to the circus and the fair, ending at the ocean where he waltzes with whales. When the moon goes behind a cloud and his protective sidekicks fall asleep, the baby finds himself all alone and is ready to go home. His parents, who have been a few steps behind him all day, welcome him home, where, just maybe, he'll go to bed. While the rhyming text sets a rollicking pace, it's really the vividness and fullness of the illustrations that keep the story moving. The pen-and-ink and acrylic drawings bubble with joy. Bright, clean light permeates each page while the scenes come alive through detail and playful characterization. The baby is dressed in a brightly striped, footed onesie that draws the eye, helping readers keep track of him on every page. Meanwhile, the parents are hot on his trail but keep looking the wrong way. This misdirection adds humor despite the adults' obvious concern. Much like James Stevenson's Rolling Rose (Greenwillow, 1992), this independent youngster safely cruises the town with abandon. The book provides readers the vicarious pleasure of joining such a whimsical journey.
Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
• Publication date: 2002
• ISBN 10: 0590960679
• ISBN 13: 9780590960670
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Rankin Laura