My Baby

by Jeanette Winter

A child is born amid African colors and rhythms.

Nakunte's mama teaches her how to make bògòlan , a cloth painted with mud, using the traditional techniques practiced for centuries by women of Mali. She carefully selects her materials -- the cloth, the mud, the sticks and leaves -- and looks to the natural world for inspiration for the patterns she will cover the cloth with. After much practice, Nakunte is ready to make an important bògòlan for herself, and for her baby.

With a gentle, soothing text and vibrant pictures, Jeanette Winter tells a story of one girl who grows to be a woman, and an artist, as she lovingly prepares for her baby's arrival.

Genres: Picture Books, Cultural, Childrens, African American, Mali

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 9, 2001

Reviews

[Natalie Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Baby by Jeanette Winter is a cute picture book about the customs of Mali. The book is more geared towards pre-k or kindergarten, early grades, due to the onomatopoeias in the book. The plot is interesting enough to determine what the main character will do with the cloth, although the process seems a bit oversimplified but I see why it was done to entice children. The pictures in the book are very colorful and provides just enough information for some students to know what could be going on without knowing the words but also to ask some questions or more learning about the cloth or bogolan in the story.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes! I should’ve known that Jeanette Winter would come through on this simple explanation of mud cloth.

[Kris Dersch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely story of an artist mama in Mali waiting for the coming of her baby while making a special cloth. Immersive.

[Shakita · Rating 3 out of 5]

"My Baby" is a part of the African tradition. It's about a certain type of cloth that is used for special ceremonies. This mother is making the best cloth possible for her baby that she is expecting. When the baby is born, she will wrap him in the cloth. This book can be used to show how different cultures are. A lot of cultures have cloth that they dress in and the different patterns, colors, material mean different things to each culture.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the colorful illustrations in this book.

[Marissa Elera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jeanette Winter makes beautiful books.