"Very quickly,
all seven babies feel
very much at home.
Thomas, Pearl, Ria, Alix, and Sean
are here to meet the babies.
And they all say,
"Seven babies!""
Children often have an undying affection for very young babies. They will be delighted to meet seven of them here. For many, the thought of one baby can be daunting; when seven are left at your door, what do you do?
The opening spread shows a cardboard box, and seven babies (one with a stick long enough to reach the doorbell). One is chewing on a box corner, one is sleeping, one is reaching for a nearby umbrella, and one is looking at a book. The door opens to a pair of astonished adults, who bring the babies inside and have their lives turned upside down by the energy, the antics, the exploration that happens all day long. Visitors arrive to meet them. Their personalities shine through at every turn of the page. The joy they bring outweighs every thing it takes to ensure love and safety. When the caregivers finally take time for needed sleep, the babies are up, out the door, and off on a new adventure. I wonder what it might be.
Ms. Xiao uses pencil and gouache to provide back-to-back charming moments throughout the day. Young readers will giggle with glee at the chaos they cause. The details make it tough to keep up with ALL babies ALL of the time. Still, it is worth the effort. They will want to follow their favorite baby from first to last page.
Here's a question for little ones learning to count: are there always seven babies?
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