The Baby Goes Beep

September 8, 2003
Wilson-Max (Tickle Tickle) transforms O'Connell's onomatopoeic baby sounds into the rhythmic accompaniment to a toddler's daily routine. He begins with the endpapers, portraying the baby in his or her car seat with its own steering wheel, on which "the baby goes Beep" as the father drives. For the most part, the artist's paintings effortlessly connect the scenes, as the baby goes from car to house "beep beep" the father's nose. When "the baby goes Splash," using a spoon to send food flying over high chair, bib and face, the artist makes a smooth transition to the tub on the next spread, where "the baby goes Splash Splash Splash Splash"; whale, frog, ducks, ball and boat float merrily alongside the now squeaky-clean star. After a "Smooch" goodnight, the baby goes "Shh" in the crib alongside a tuckered out mother and father. But the parting scene shows that Baby is just getting started (standing up, wide awake in the crib). All babies will recognize the important elements of their day in these energetic scenes, and should chime right in with the familiar sounds. Ages 6 mos.-3 yrs.

Starred review from November 1, 2010
Every once in a very great while a book is published that actually works better as a board book for babies than as a conventional paper book for slightly older readers. This joyous celebration is one of them. Babies and their parents are in for a real treat with this reissue of a now-out-of-print paper book. "The baby goes Beep / The baby goes Beep Beep Beep Beep"—and boom, flip, yum, splash, smooch and, finally, shh, all in the same can't-keep-from-chanting rhythm. Wilson-Max's heavy black outlines and bright, thickly applied colors provide the perfect definition for the images. This pink baby (with a tuft of black hair) is clearly the best thing that ever happened to this set of parents, and this book is one of the best things that will happen to those babies lucky enough to encounter it. (Board book. 3 mos.-18 mos.)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)