Ten Tiny Babies

by Karen Katz

One by one,

10

silly, bouncy, noisy, cuddly, babies come to play all day until (yawn) bedtime. Sleep tight, babies.

Genres: Picture Books, Counting, Storytime, Childrens, Number, American, Juvenile

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 30, 2008

About the author

Karen Katz has written and illustrated many books for children, including The Colors of Us, Can You Say Peace, My First Ramadan, Counting Kisses and Where is Baby's Belly Button. Long inspired by folk art from around the world, she was inspired to write her first book, Over the Moon, when she and her husband adopted their daughter from Guatemala, and she wanted to tell the story of welcoming Lena into their lives. Katz loves to paint and experiment with texture, color, collage and pattern. Besides an author and illustrator, she has been a costume designer, quilt maker, fabric artist and graphic designer. Katz and her family divide their time between New York City and Saugerties, New York.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/karenkatz

Reviews

[Dashiell John · Rating 5 out of 5]

One might call the structure of this book facile, but I believe there is something deliberate, nay subversive in this seemingly simply tale. Similar to Arthur Schnitzler's La Ronde, the structure itself becomes the story, willfully obscuring the oddness of what unfolds. Why are there so many babies living in this house? Why are they left to their own devices all day? Why do they keep accruing? It's the reverse of an apocalyptic countdown, inevitable addition instead of ominous subtraction, and at the end you are left not with the dread of nothingness but with lots and lots of babies.

Also, on one page, there's a close up of all the babies' feet.

[June · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe a 3.5, but I rounded up because I seem to run short of picture books for my baby and toddler programs.

[Shiloh Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Daddy likes this book, but his reading rhythm is off.

[Felicia Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

read to baby girl good book to teach numbers. :D

[Julia Levine]

Title (italicize): Ten Tiny Babies
Author: Karen Katz
Illustrator (if separate from author): Karen Katz
Genre: Theme(s): Counting book
Opening line/sentence (type directly from text): "1 tiny baby starts to run."
Brief Book Summary (2-3 sentences in your own words): This is a counting book that counts the number of babies in the story and another baby is added each page. This book first starts off with 1 baby playing and then comes another and another to play. By the end of the book, the babies have tired themselves out and get ready for bed.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1 (cut & paste):
Beverley Fahey (Children's Literature)
"It is never too early to read to your baby and this little counting book is just right. The gouache, colored pencil, and collage illustrations feature cherubic, multi-ethnic babies engaged in typical behavior. Babies spin and bounce, bang and shout, wiggle their toes, take a bath, put on their pj's and snuggle in for the night. The rhyming verse has a satisfying lilt, and the count from one to ten is just long enough for a squirmy baby to sit through. The hardcover format is perfect for caregivers to hold and share but it would have been perfect to have this published in board book format similar to Katz s Where is Baby s Belly Button? So little ones could handle and read it on their own."
(PUBLISHER: Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York:), PUBLISHED: 2008.)

Professional Recommendation/Review #2 (cut & paste):
Gayle Quinton (Kutztown University Book Review, Spring 2009)
This is a cute rhyming story, which counts up from one to ten babies and the activities they perform together. Katz's story spills over from one page to the next ensuring that you remain involved in the rhyming activity. The pictures present babies from various ethnic backgrounds so it would be a good book to include in any multi-cultural setting.
(PUBLISHER: Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York:), PUBLISHED: 2008.)
Response to Two Professional Reviews (3-4 sentences in your own words):
The first professional review talks about the simplistic plot of Ten Tiny Babies and the literary elements that go into making a rhyming and flowing book, such as this one. In addition, the second professional review discusses the same elements as the first professional review such as the rhyming patterns and the plot of the ten babies, but goes one step further. This review discusses the conscientious discussion to diversify this book and include babies from many different ethnic backgrounds.
Evaluation of Literary Elements (3-4 sentences in your own words):
The sentences of this book flow off the page like a poem. At the end of each page is another line that leads the reader to the next page. Additionally, the plot of this book is centered around 10 tiny babies who play together and then get ready to go to bed.
Consideration of Instructional Application (3-4 sentences in your own words):
This book is probably most applicable in an infant and toddler classroom or in a preschool classroom. In terms of instructional application, students could act out the different steps that each baby takes to get ready for bed or the students could count to 10 with each page together.

[Gwen Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great counting book - adjectives encourage caregivers to interact with little ones. Very Colorful.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A picture book for the younger set. Practice counting to 10, with cute and adorable babies leading the way. And like many a picture book...it ends with a bedtime ritual.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book because it goes "ten tiny babies, in a row, playing with stuff, and having a bath."

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big Karen Katz fan here. Counting and bedtime added make it a big winner.

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baby girl's current obsession. Great rhythm and colors. Somewhat nonsense book, no plot, where did all these kids come from?

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish the rhyme worked both ways so you could read it shorter or longer.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute rhymes with a variety of skin color and hair types.

[Suzanne Lorraine Kunz Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the multicuturalness of this book.

[Alyssa Haverfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little diverse mix of silly babies.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Silly counting and rhyming book with lots of cute cuddly babies. Cute illustrations and catchy rhymes.

[Calli Leventis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Babytime, good lapsit

[Scout Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute creative rhyming kids book :)
Better than average for a kids book. I liked the format/way it rhymed, it sounded really good.
Read while babysitting 04/04/2023

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet picture book that counts from 1 to 10 as more babies join in doing everyday things and finally go to bed. Totally appropriate for baby and toddler story times!

[Blair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like the squeeze of ten in the bed but with babies and no falling out.

[Addie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. 2 year old loved this book and we read it twice in a row.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would still totally wear any of the gorgeous patterns that Katz draws myself.

[Emma Treganowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect for Babystorytime

[TJE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book, read with 2 other peers and loved doing motions along with the actions of the books, (2.5 yrs)

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ten Tiny Babies by Karen Katz is yet another one to ten counting book for the pre-K set. Harriet chose to the book to read to herself on a recent library book.

The book features babies doing different things like eating, playing and getting ready for bed. The illustrations are bright and colorful. The text is easy enough for a beginning reader to handle without help.

Harriet loved the story. She likes books with babies. She also likes counting books. I'm glad she was able to read the book on her own because it didn't have a lot to make for an interesting re-read for me.

[Erin Buhr · Rating 3 out of 5]

My daughter loves all things baby and all books by Karen Katz (author of Where is Baby's Belly Button among others). This counting book counts babies 1 - 10 as they parade through play time, bath, and prepare for bed. It is filled with Katz's typical colorful illustrations, bouncy language, and diverse babies of all types. It is a great book to read before bed, which I can attest to after a week straight of bedtime readings.

[Donna]

TEN TINY BABIES of every color/race is written in musical rhyme, and is destined to delight children as they count from 1 through 10. The bright, playful illustrations pull you from page to page, adding one baby after the other as they do "baby" things, all the way to bed. This is a sure-fire read-again counting book that's a joy to read :)

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katz counts ten babies one by one. Each new baby brings a new activity to the day until it's time for bed. It's a great book to count and do some of the activities in the story - bounce, spin, eat, sleep, etc.

Theme: Baby Storytime
Additional themes: ten, babies

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new Karen Katz book--Hooray! This one is "standard" picture book size--not a board book and not a lift-the-flap book. It will make a fun addition to a baby lap storytime, as babies can watch other babies spin, bounce, bang and shout!

[Tricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

admittedly i'm a katz fan but alas, disappointment at how this book is formatted. it's awkward. when reading aloud, kids will be counting (it's a counting book after all) but the flow of the book is interrupted by the completion of the sentence started on the prior page. grumble!

[Terry]

My son picked this book out at the library. He laughed and smiled at each page. It was fun to see him make faces back at the pictures in the book.