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What Baby Wants
WAAAAAAAAH! This family goes to great—and hilarious lengths—in trying to lull Baby to sleep until Little Brother discovers that what Baby really wants is something very simple.
WAAAAAAAAAAH!
What does Baby want? Mama’s gone to bed, so Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt and Uncle, Big Sister, and Little Brother set out to soothe Baby. Does Baby want a soft feathery goose to cuddle? No. Does he want a flock of woolly sheep to keep him warm or a tree full of birds to sing him to sleep? No. As Little Brother proves, what Baby really wants is something very simple. Jill Barton’s funny, warm illustrations are perfectly tuned to Phyllis Root’s lively characterization of a family going to great—and hilarious—lengths to lull its youngest member to sleep.
WAAAAAAAAAAH!
What does Baby want? Mama’s gone to bed, so Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt and Uncle, Big Sister, and Little Brother set out to soothe Baby. Does Baby want a soft feathery goose to cuddle? No. Does he want a flock of woolly sheep to keep him warm or a tree full of birds to sing him to sleep? No. As Little Brother proves, what Baby really wants is something very simple. Jill Barton’s funny, warm illustrations are perfectly tuned to Phyllis Root’s lively characterization of a family going to great—and hilarious—lengths to lull its youngest member to sleep.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published September 2, 1998
About the author
Phyllis Root
108 books72 followers"Picture books are performances," says Phyllis Root, quoting some sage advice she once received. "They're performances that involve a child--something both of you do. And once I started thinking of them that way, I started getting much looser about making up words and playing around with rhythm."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
Phyllis Root picked up an early affinity for colloquial language while growing up in Indiana and southern Illinois, "where people actually say things like, 'I got a hitch in my git-along'!" She decided to be a writer in the fifth grade, but it wasn't until she was thirty years old that she took a writing course with an influential teacher who gave her "the tools" she says she needed. "That's when I figured out that you could learn to be a writer," she says. What followed was a series of rollicking stories that take on a new life when read aloud, among them ONE DUCK STUCK, a one-of-a-kind counting book; KISS THE COW!, an affectionate salute to stubbornness; WHAT BABY WANTS, a tale of increasingly ridiculous efforts to quiet an infant that one reviewer compared to an episode of I LOVE LUCY, and LOOKING FOR A MOOSE, a buoyant tale with a final surprise discovery.
The author does "endless rewriting" before a book is finished, but often starts out by writing her stories in her head, a trick she learned as a time-pressed mother when her two daughters were very young. For example, RATTLETRAP CAR--a joyful celebration of perseverance--began with her playing around with sounds ("clinkety clankety, bing bang pop!") and calling up bits of old camp songs.
A master of rhythmic read-alouds, Phyllis Root exhibits a range many writers would envy. Her counting book TEN SLEEPY SHEEP is as serene and lulling as ONE DUCK STUCK is rambunctious. "Counting sheep isn't always easy," she notes. "Once, while we were farm-sitting, my daughter and I had to chase down two runaway lambs in the growing darkness, then count twenty-seven frisky lambs to make sure they were all safe for the night. Luckily, they were." OLIVER FINDS HIS WAY is a quiet, classic picture book about a defining moment in the life of a small child--getting lost and having the pluck to find the way home. On the other extreme, Phyllis Root takes on no less than the whole universe in BIG MOMMA MAKES THE WORLD, a powerful, original, down-home creation myth that received rave reviews and won the prestigious BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Award. Most recently, Phyllis Root penned LUCIA AND THE LIGHT, a timeless adventure about one brave girl's quest that was inspired by Nordic lore.
When she's not writing, Phyllis Root teaches at Vermont College's MFA in Writing for Children program. She lives with her two daughters and two cats in a 100-year-old house in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves to read (mostly mysteries with female protagonists) or spend time outdoors gardening, camping, sailing, or traveling. "One of the things I've learned about myself," she confides, "is that when I get really stuck and can't seem to get writing, it's because I've forgotten to take time out to play."
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 8, 2019
یادمه دبستانی بودم که این کتاب رو خریدم :) صرفا به خاطر اسمی که داشت و اینکه منم یه داداش نی نی کوچولو داشتم :)) من که اون موقع اصلا خوشم نیومد از این کتاب هیچ، داداشمم وقتی بزرگ تر شد و خوندش بدش اومد از این کتاب
:)
:)
June 12, 2016
فضای کتاب غیرشهری بود، احتمالا خیلی از بچه های ما نتونن چنین فضایی رو تصور کنن
December 24, 2022
عنوان ترجمهٔ فارسی: نینی چه میخواهد؟
March 25, 2021
One of my very favorites when the kids were young -- a sweet story with fabulous illustrations about a family working together to figure out what on earth is wrong with baby (while Mama gets to take a nap). The repetition works well for the younger kids, the humor works well for older folks.
March 15, 2019
March 2019 - Ben wasn't initially drawn to this, but as soon as Grandma tries to calm the baby, he was sold and thought the whole thing was hysterical.
June 20, 2020
Mommy is tired...baby is crying. Who can save the date? The illustrations were funny, but a one and done for me.
Read
May 26, 2025کتاب رو برای یک بچهای خوندم و خیلی خوشش اومد و تصاویر جالبی داشت که میشد ازشون قصه درآورد.
May 14, 2013
This baby cries in caps while the relatives try to figure out what he wants. I think my kids loved the idea of such a bad-mannered baby making a big fuss. They loved to see all the family loving the baby and trying to help the baby, but especially the way only "little brother" was able to quiet baby. It is the first moment that such a little family member is such a big hero. The illustrations of the family's attempts to help are funny. The farm animals get involved and it's quite a mess while momma takes a break. The words are easy to change and add noises and animation... it's just really fun. Great book!
November 12, 2012
I didn't think there was anything particularly special about the illustrations at first, but the darling image of the big brother snuggling his baby brother really got to me. So sweet! The story is fun. The family does humorous and ridiculous things to try to get the baby to stop crying, but ultimately the baby just needs to be cuddled. It's nice that the big brother was the one that had the solution, too.
March 15, 2009
Well, I decided that I would add the books that Joci and I really like. I read more to her than I get to read for myself. I could probably find more time to read by myself, but usually would rather be outside. : )
We Loved this book. We have taken it back to the library, but Joci still ask for it.
We Loved this book. We have taken it back to the library, but Joci still ask for it.
February 13, 2010
I especially like the page on which the sister realizes that what baby wants is a lullaby so she goes outside on their farm in her bare feet and old jumper and in all of her teeny blond skinny girlness lifts up a tree full of birds and carries them in to her baby brother.
April 5, 2009
We used this for a fun creative dramatic during preschool storytime--it was very simple, each child tried to offer something to the baby, while the rest of the kids did the sound effects for, crying.
June 27, 2009
Hugely silly and enjoyable. Great rhythm for reading aloud. Loved it.
January 12, 2010
My 20 mo. old wants this again & again! She likes to say the part of the baby, ("Whaaaaaa") but doesn't think of herself as one. Cute!
October 19, 2010
Great illustrations, charming.
December 7, 2011
This book was cute and predictable. It would be a good book to read to a child with a new sibling. It was not all that exciting or entertaining though. My 3-year-old enjoyed it.
March 12, 2013
I loved this book! It's fun to read when you're expecting a new baby and the big brother in the end is the hero:) The hyperbole is great for a toddler:)
May 5, 2014
So fun. Love that Mama needs a nap. Love all the family members' attempts at helping the baby, and the great illustrations chronicling their efforts.
August 6, 2016
A silly book where every family member comes up with a new theory on how to calm baby down. It would make a great story time book for preschoolers...
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews