https://shawjonathan.com/2021/03/19/ruby-reads-24-visiting-the-library/ ( )

Children will love this story about a sneaky baby who stows away on her brother's bicycle as they travel through the Nigerian countryside They will get a wonderful sampling of Nigerian culture and vocabulary in the process. ( )

B is for baby in this delightful new picture-book adventure from expatriate Nigerian author Atinuke and British illustrator Angela Brooksbank, who previously collaborated on Baby Goes to Market. As the simple text describes the many things that B is for, from basket to brother, bicycle to baobab, the artwork shows the eponymous baby hiding in the basket of bananas her brother is taking to her Baba's bungalow. All ends happily of course, as the stowaway enjoys her ride, is welcomed at her grandfather's house, and is embraced when she returns to her mother...

I've enjoyed pretty much everything that Atinuke has produced, from her eight chapter-books and three picture-books about Anna Hibiscus, to the aforementioned title done with Brooksbank, so it came as no surprise to discover that I found B Is for Baby completely charming. The text is extremely simple, but when combined with the artwork it creates an entertaining tale, one full of fun and mischief. Like all of Atinuke's stories, this one is set in Africa (one assumes Nigeria, although specific places are rarely mentioned in her books), and is full of African scenes, animals and characters. Recommended to fellow fans of the creators, and to anyone looking for lovely toddler-friendly picture-books set in Africa. ( )

-why it’s great:
-collection connection:
-songs & rhymes:
-book talks:
-literacy asides:

Using the simple "B is for..." and letting the illustrations do a lot of heavy lifting, this is the story of a visit to Baba's house in West Africa. (Along the way, they encounter biscuit, bananas, bungalow, bridge, bus, baboon, butterfly, bird, bicycle, basket, and brother.) A slightly larger-than-average trim size gives this book a sumptuous feel. ( )