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Beastly Babies
From wriggling chicks to jumpy kangaroos, this hilarious rhyming picture book showcases different kinds of babies, all of which are perfectly, adorably beastly!
Making mischief, having fun
each is precious, every one.
In a knoll, a hole, or nest,
Mamas love their babies best.
In this delightful rhyming read-aloud, author Ellen Jackson and illustrator Brendan Wenzel introduce readers to all sorts of mischievous baby animals—and the grown-ups who love them no matter what. Featuring puppies that slobber, kittens who spill, and young gorillas who won't sit still, this book is sure to resonate with beastly babies of all ages—and their exasperated moms and dads, too!
Making mischief, having fun
each is precious, every one.
In a knoll, a hole, or nest,
Mamas love their babies best.
In this delightful rhyming read-aloud, author Ellen Jackson and illustrator Brendan Wenzel introduce readers to all sorts of mischievous baby animals—and the grown-ups who love them no matter what. Featuring puppies that slobber, kittens who spill, and young gorillas who won't sit still, this book is sure to resonate with beastly babies of all ages—and their exasperated moms and dads, too!
32 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2015
2 people are currently reading
173 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
July 14, 2015
Sometimes people ask me, "Why don't you have children?"
And I say, "Because I ate them."
That scares most questioners off and they never ask me anything again but for those who do not run, I am going to hand them this book. I'll tear out the last couple of pages, though, because it wouldn't make sense to end my explanation with the admittance that I love babies. Which I don't. And that is why this book is true.
Babies are definitely beastly.
I mean, look:
Mamas gather, weave, and shred
grass and leaves to make a bed.
Whether kit or chick or pup,
wriggling babies mess it up.
They're such slobs. And they squirm a lot. And they're obstinate.
See?
Baby piglets will not wallow.
Baby ducklings do not follow.
Baby otters splash and splish.
Baby bear can't catch a fish.
Never doing what they're supposed to do! So contrary!
Ugh. Babies! No thank you.
The illustrations, though, that's what killed me. They're delightful and hilarious and the irritation or dismay or exasperation on all the mom-faces brought me such joy. I mean, just look at the cover! Chomping baby tiger and peevish mom! I love it!
And I say, "Because I ate them."
That scares most questioners off and they never ask me anything again but for those who do not run, I am going to hand them this book. I'll tear out the last couple of pages, though, because it wouldn't make sense to end my explanation with the admittance that I love babies. Which I don't. And that is why this book is true.
Babies are definitely beastly.
I mean, look:
Mamas gather, weave, and shred
grass and leaves to make a bed.
Whether kit or chick or pup,
wriggling babies mess it up.
They're such slobs. And they squirm a lot. And they're obstinate.
See?
Baby piglets will not wallow.
Baby ducklings do not follow.
Baby otters splash and splish.
Baby bear can't catch a fish.
Never doing what they're supposed to do! So contrary!
Ugh. Babies! No thank you.
The illustrations, though, that's what killed me. They're delightful and hilarious and the irritation or dismay or exasperation on all the mom-faces brought me such joy. I mean, just look at the cover! Chomping baby tiger and peevish mom! I love it!
July 20, 2015
"Babies can be smooth or hairy,
Quail
or whale
or dromedary."
Perky rhymes and seriously adorable art make this jazzy picture book a winner.
Quail
or whale
or dromedary."
Perky rhymes and seriously adorable art make this jazzy picture book a winner.
August 13, 2019
An entertaining text in rhyming verse is paired with quirky illustrations in this charming picture-book celebration of animals babies of all kinds, from human to tiger. "Babies can be smooth or hairy, / quail or whale or dromedary. / Babies can be one or many, / lots and lots or hardly any," the narrator begins, going on to describe the many ways that babies play and interact with their patient (but very tired!) parents. The book concludes: "Babies muss and fuss and cry - / but they grow up, by and by. / And what awaits them when they're grown? / Beastly babies of their own!"
Although I picked up Beastly Babies largely because it was illustrated by Brendan Wenzel - I enjoy his multimedia artwork, with its idiosyncratic sense of humor (those hilarious but emotionally expressive google-eyed characters!), and its adept use of color - I ended up enjoying the book as much for its sing-song rhyme as for its visual art. The combination of the two would make this a wonderful title to share during story-time, especially with younger children. Recommended to fellow fans of Brendan Wenzel - with the recommendation that, if they have not already done so, they look at Some Bugs and Some Pets , which he illustrated in the same style - as well as to anyone looking for fun children's stories about animals and/or babies.
Although I picked up Beastly Babies largely because it was illustrated by Brendan Wenzel - I enjoy his multimedia artwork, with its idiosyncratic sense of humor (those hilarious but emotionally expressive google-eyed characters!), and its adept use of color - I ended up enjoying the book as much for its sing-song rhyme as for its visual art. The combination of the two would make this a wonderful title to share during story-time, especially with younger children. Recommended to fellow fans of Brendan Wenzel - with the recommendation that, if they have not already done so, they look at Some Bugs and Some Pets , which he illustrated in the same style - as well as to anyone looking for fun children's stories about animals and/or babies.
December 2, 2015
Cute rhymes about animal mommas and their babies. The illustrations are clever with funny details for little ones to discover (or just for parents when the wee ones are still too little to get it). Ten month old Evie just wanted to practice her nice hands on the animals -- these ones didn't run away from her like Darcy.
March 12, 2018
Check out more Picture book reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
"From wriggling chicks to jumpy kangaroos, this hilarious rhyming picture book showcases different kinds of babies, all of which are perfectly, adorably beastly!"
I actually wasn't planning on reading this with my nephew anytime soon since we just read Some Pets. We were between hold stacks though and needed a book and we saw it and snatched it up! Then we were quite disappointed that it read like a more complex version of some pets... ?!
The text is a lot more interesting for a parent to read because there are actually complete statements on each page which is really nice. The problem is that my nephew struggled with the rhyming nature of the text and quite a few of the complex words used. We aren't talking one really hard word a page... sometimes they were one after another... making the sentence totally uncomprehensible for my poor nephew!! It was a real struggle to read and if not for the art this would have gotten a 1 star to me...
I do enjoy Brendan Wenzel art and this book has some gorgeous pages... BUSY art... but gorgeous. The tiger page has a really great balance and the rhino page has a juxtaposition with a couple flocks of colorful birds. The bird nest page is quite cute and the pet, farm animal and wallow/pond pages are all composed quite simply while also holding a mega amount of interest. There is something overly chaotic about the art that keeps it from being breath-taking but for a young child I think it works well!
I'm not a fan of books to read to kids that are really aimed at parents, because there is no message in this book and it's a real shame. There are manners to teach or simple ideas about respect that could be put forth. Still if you want a book for a child that doesn't read themselves but that a parent will enjoy reading this is the book for you!
Since we are somewhat comparing Some Pets with Beastly Babies I will say that both have about equal problems. Some Pets art was too busy, it seems to me, because the same sorts of compositions needed for that book were used in this book. While Beastly Babies art was superior the words used in Some Pets was superior for a toddler book! The illustration of sounds and habitats is perfect for a child who can't read yet, while still exposing them to words they will be learning soon.
BOTTOM LINE: A great rhyming book to read to a toddler.
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You can find this review and many others on my book blog @ Perspective of a Writer. See my picture book reviews in a special feature called Boo's Picture Gallery...
January 25, 2018
A lovely rhyming story about babies of various animals. The illustrations are both fun and funny. A lovely book for any collection.
May 30, 2015
A very cute book with a nice rhyming story. Well, story may not be entirely accurate. But the flow works really well. The illustrations are very cute and it was nice to see many glimpses of the animal kingdom. I think this would be a perfect book to use with kids who might start questioning where babies come from. While I have no idea what is the appropriate age to have "the talk" with kids about where babies really come from, this book can help to provide some context for those who are very young and asking questions.
July 11, 2015
Human babies and mothers are not so different from animal babies and their moms. Babies of all sorts cause grief for their mothers; for example, “Mamas gather, weave, and shred /grass and leaves to make a bed. / Whether kit or chick or pup, / wriggling babies mess it up.” Youngsters get their final comeuppance, though, as they grow up and get “Beastly babies of their own!” Rhyming text and illustrations meld perfectly in this lively picture book.
Original post on http://www.mackinvia-connext.com/2015...
Original post on http://www.mackinvia-connext.com/2015...
June 4, 2018
A fellow Library staffer asked me why I was laughing out loud! It was all this book's fault! I just had to open it after reading the title & seeing the cover art! The mother tiger looks like she has just about had it with the cub that is about to sink it's needle-like teeth into her tail! See how her paws are crossed and if looks could kill?! Moving on to the inside: I loved the humorous rhyming phrases, and the illustrations; overall, this is a wonderful FUN book, full of all kinds of beastly babies!
July 19, 2015
Human mothers aren't the only ones being driven crazy by their little ones, their is a whole animal kingdom of babies run amok. The copyright note says " The illustrations for this book are rendered in almost everything imaginable" - clever cop-out! Either way, full of expressive googly eyes.
July 15, 2015
Wonderful, quirky illustrations with the great message that ALL babies, human and otherwise, are important and cherished by their mothers.
November 13, 2015
This is the book a parent should buy for their child when they have or expecting their own children.
February 5, 2024
This fun little story is about the babies of different animals and how they can all be different in their appearance or abundance. However, all the babies are mischievous and make messes. They all like to play and are frequently clumsy, but all the babies grow up and learn. As adults, they have babies of their own and the process starts all over again.
This story has some rhymes and shows all the messes into which babies can get. I enjoyed the colorful illustrations and seeing the messes made by the babies. The story is a good way to send the message that babies make messes, and to help children understand how much the parents must put up with from their children.
In the clinic, the story can be used to target building a child’s vocabulary, and it can help them work on categorizing the different animals into different groups.
This story has some rhymes and shows all the messes into which babies can get. I enjoyed the colorful illustrations and seeing the messes made by the babies. The story is a good way to send the message that babies make messes, and to help children understand how much the parents must put up with from their children.
In the clinic, the story can be used to target building a child’s vocabulary, and it can help them work on categorizing the different animals into different groups.
March 10, 2019
Cute and clever rhyming book that flows easily aloud, comparing different kinds of mischievous animal babies and all the mothers who tolerate them. The last lines are great: “Babies muss and fuss and cry- but they grow up, by and by. And what awaits them when they’re grown? Beastly babies of their own!”
May 14, 2021
As a connoisseur of children's literature, I like this book very much. The illustrations really draw children in as does the story written in rhyme. Most of the book is very understandable with just a few "advanced" words peppered in like "dromedary" and "muzzle." Nothing wrong with a child learning new vocabulary from a picture book!
January 7, 2018
Very well done rhyme. The story flows. Love the illustrations. Baby animals are a challenge and require lots of parental assistance. Worth every moment. This is a fun book for any child who likes animals or as an introduction to a variety of wild creatures.
January 21, 2018
Animal parents deal with their beastly babies., though "mamas love their babies best." What awaits these beastly babies when they're grown? "Beastly babies of their own."
I think the humor is too sophisticated for my young story time crowds.
I think the humor is too sophisticated for my young story time crowds.
April 21, 2020
Virtual Story Time
Theme: Babies and Animals (started off as Baby Animals)
Ages: "Family"
I really liked this one, but it almost went on a bit too long for a storytime. It lists what the parent animals did and how the babies would try to imitate. It was still really cute.
Theme: Babies and Animals (started off as Baby Animals)
Ages: "Family"
I really liked this one, but it almost went on a bit too long for a storytime. It lists what the parent animals did and how the babies would try to imitate. It was still really cute.
March 8, 2022
I love books that both parents and children can relate to. And this is definitely a book like that. Fun illustrations. And I love the relationship dynamics that the mother sand babies have - they are not perfect, but they show love.
January 20, 2018
The adorableness in this book = a lot.
January 27, 2018
Rhyming. A story about various babies, how they differ and the mischief they get into. Then they grow up...and have babies of their own.
August 7, 2018
I found the rhymes to be a bit silly, even for young children. But the artwork was wonderful.
February 15, 2019
Fun and cute. 3/5 stars.
June 29, 2019
A rhyming story about mama animals and their busy, energetic babies. Fun illustrations.
August 25, 2019
A true gem we discovered at the library.
February 23, 2020
Babies, babies, everywhere! Adorable illustrations that celebrate all babies of beasts and their mothers.
February 15, 2021
It's too cute and I love it.
December 27, 2021
Arts alright. Story’s alright. Some funny moments and illustrations.
June 30, 2022
My quibble is the assumption that babies grow up to have babies of their own, and that it is all about mamas and babies.
October 23, 2022
Wenzel has such a great style. I really love his work. Didn’t love the opening spread with the foot and human baby, but the rest with the animals was great. 3.5 Stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews