Itsy-Bitsy Babies

by Margaret Wild, Jan Ormerod (Illustrator)

A highly acclaimed writer and illustrator team up to create the ideal adorable book for babies and toddlers


 

All the itsy bitsy babies are warm and snug.
All the itsy bitsy babies want to hug, hug, hug!
All the itsy bitsy babies are full of bliss.
All the itsy bitsy babies want to kiss, kiss, kiss!


 


With charming illustrations and rhythmic text that is perfect for reading aloud, this wonderful story about the things babies love to do will inspire endless fun, as babies always love to read about babies. Descriptions of such familiar activities as playing peek-a-boo, clapping, and banging a drum are accompanied by lively illustrations, and will inspire many imitations.

Genres: Picture Books, Storytime, Childrens

24 pages, Hardcover

First published July 9, 2010

About the author

Margaret Wild is one of Australia's most highly respected picture-book creators whose award-winning children's books are loved by children all over the world. Margaret has published over seventy picture books for young children and she has been the recipient of the Nan Chauncy Award and the Lady Cutler Award for her contributions to Australian children's literature.

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

The book is cute, but I wish the illustrations were brighter and bolder, and the unprofessional, reality-tv-watching side of me questioned the three-way kiss at the end. ("Blow a kiss" might have been a possible alternative, whether in the text or the illustration.)

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saw this laying on a shelf as I walked by. We're always looking for books for Baby storytime. This has actions to get them involved with. A little longer than what I usually do in Baby ST. And the end is nauseatingly cheesy to me, so I would probably end it early and no one would no the difference.

[Mely · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute book. fun rhyming text with a good rhythm.

[Jenna Mills · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sweet

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" rhyme, this rhyming picture book is all about human babies!
Cute baby illustrations.

[Lara Bate · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story about babies.

[Freddie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Babies just love reading books about babies! This is rhythmic, soothing and the illustrations are as delightfully sweet as the situations are recognisable.

[Shanshad Whelan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This team effort of two women famous in the picture book industry . . . has all the personality of pink flavored jelly beans. It's full of soft pastel patterned images with cute babies. It's full of painfully cute rhymed text. It's sweet and adorable and bland and inoffensive and . . . boring. I'm sorry. I like much of Ormerod's work in illustration, but this one doesn't do it for me. The babies don't have enough personality and the backgrounds nothing but patterns of stripes or dots, or simple colors. The text is worse. "All the itsy-bitsy babies are full of bliss/ all the itsy-bitsy babies want to kiss, kiss kiss!"

When you've eaten too many pink flavored jelly beans you yearn for something jazzier to wash the soapy sweet taste out of your mouth. Same with this book. If you want cute babies, rhyming text and --gosh--even Ormerod's illustrations, check out Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes by Mem Fox, which manages to do all of this so much better, and without leaving strong taste of pink behind.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Text/rhymes: 2 stars - ok
Illustrations: 1 star - did not like
Book as a whole: 1.5 stars - not bad

This story left me feeling "meh!" In other words, I was left flat. The rhymes weren't bad, but I found them repetitive: every single one began with This/That/Those/These itsy-bitty babies. I understand that repetition is good for children that are learning to read and comprehend the world around them, but the rhymes were very short, so this meant there was a lot of repetition in very close quarters. It was too much for me.

The illustrations were even more dissatisfying for me. I did not care for the style in which the pictures were drawn. The babies all seemed unfinished to me. I've seen in other reviews that others didn't like that all the backgrounds were simply stripes or dots, with not much else included. I didn't have this complaint, but then again, I disliked the babies so much that I didn't really see the backgrounds or props with which they were displayed.

The end result is that this book may be just great for toddlers, but the adults in those toddlers' lives will, in my opinion, become bored very quickly.

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like both of these authors, especially Jan Ormerod, but these "itsy-bitsy" babies got a bit too cutesy-wutesy for me. Is this really intended for kids or is it something you'd give as a shower gift? The kid appeal factor here is amazingly low. I'd go instead for Mem Fox and Helen Oxenbury's Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes

[Tricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

With sing-song rhyming text and adorable baby illustrations created by Jan Ormerod, this title is a nice option for baby/toddler time. Actions in the book such as clapping, cuddling, kissing could be incorporated by moms in a lapsit environment. And for toddlers running wild, the gentle fun rhymes will not be totally lost! A fresh option for a fun age with which we share the beginning steps of literacy.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Itsy-Bitsy Babies is a poetry book for very young children. On each page is a different rhyme about babies with phrases words like, the babies play peekaboo and then like to shampoo. This book is very cute and the words are very rhythmic and pleasant to listen to. I would read this to a classroom to show them how simple poetry can be.

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 11/8/11: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

Read at Baby Lap Time on 8/2/12 and 8/3/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...

[Fibersian · Rating 5 out of 5]

A rhyming text with activities that baies do in their lives. Babies go clap, clap, clap. These words can be put to movement so that children put meaning to words through action. Rhyming is the playful engaging language that builds language development.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really cute baby storytime read! Repetitive, simple actions, vivid illustrations featuring culturally diverse babies. Love it!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like books like this that invite babies to move along with the babies in the pictures.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not my favorite baby storytime choice, but it worked well enough. Used for baby storytime 7/22/11.

[Malckey P · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is one of those times where I don't agree with the adult critics who recommended this book really highly. It just didn't hold my interest. No renew for you!

[Chrystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Buddy's favorite book. He loves when I act out everything in the book with him!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have a baby who loves looking at other babies and even pores over other pictures of babies, this is the book for her! My own little Miss Q. goes gaga over this book.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice pictures, classic Ormerod babies. My two year old was becoming verbal when we read this and really enjoying saying "itsy bitsy". Would be good for babies.

[Monica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the rhyming and simple illustrations, but for some reason I felt like they became a little weird at the end.

[Elisabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

wish it were a little shorter and colors a little bigger and bolder. will try in baby storytimes.

[Kate Hastings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Babies. Fun rhyming text for sharing in storytime.