Review
The conversational tone of the text echoes of traditional African American poetry in the style of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Well suited for cozy lap readings, this board book will be a welcome addition to many families' shelves in the early days of child rearing. - Kirkus Reviews --Kirkus Reviews
This picture book is written as a poem in the casual voice of a parent speaking to a small child, whom they address as “brown sugar baby.” The caregiver alternates between admiring the child―“your smiling swirls, / your chocolate curls, / your blessed bubbling grin”―and assuring the child that they are cared for―“I’ll keep you toasty warm… / all along / where you belong, / near me, safe from harm.” This slight ode is illustrated digitally in a brown, yellow, green, and light blue palette. The artwork shows a brown-skinned mother with a large Afro puff and a father with slightly lighter brown skin, both doing housework while juggling the responsibilities of caring for their round-cheeked, large-eyed tyke. The conversational tone of the text echoes traditional African American poetry in the style of Paul Laurence Dunbar. Despite some inconsistency in the rhythm and cadence of the verses, the story is fun and touching. Well suited for cozy lap readings, this board book will be a welcome addition to many families’ shelves in the early days of child rearing. --Kirkus Reviews
Product Description
"Brown sugar baby, dark eyes spark bright with glee...Pie of my eye, stay right here with me." This lyrical first book in the Brown Sugar Baby series is a celebration of the powerful love and protective, comforting instincts of a mother for her child. Its soothing rhythm and tender rhymes are highlighted by whimsical and charming illustrations that are perfect for storytime. Relatable, lyrical story for parents and their little girls and boys to read together time and time again Beautiful illustrations, featuring an African American family, will keep kids engaged throughout the story Sturdy board book pages are easy to grasp, great for children practicing fine motor skills Poetic rhythm and rhymes encourage language patterns and development amongst toddlers Perfect for baby showers, birthday gifts, Mother's Day, and more!
At Cottage Door Press, we believe in creating stories that reflect the boundless possibilities of all children. We hope to create books that inspire little ones to connect, encourage them to dream, give them cause to celebrate, and allow them to see themselves beautifully reflected in the stories they read.
About the Author
Kevin Lewis loves recognizing that bouncy, busy brown sugar baby spirit, especially when he sees it in the fans of his popular picture book favorites Chugga Chugga Choo-Choo, My Truck is Stuck!, and The Runaway Pumpkin. Kevin lives in a 200-year-old farmhouse in Newburgh, New York, with his husband, Phil, a dog named Kat, and two cats named Prim and Rue.
