YOUNG ADULTING

In the vein of Are You My Mother? and Monkey Puzzle, Where’s Baby is a simple yet endearing picture book that follows Papa Fox as he searches for his dear Baby Fox. As the story progresses, Papa Fox looks everywhere for his kit—up trees, over hills, and inside logs—running into a variety of animals along the way. Little does Papa Fox know, however, that Baby Fox is always hiding close by.

Where’s Baby is the perfect example of how picture books need not be overly complicated or showy to be enjoyable. The plot is simple, but young children will relate to and find humor in the idea of hiding in plain sight. Hunter’s pen-and-pencil illustrations are charming and complement the playfulness of her words. On every spread, Hunter disrupts the soft color palette—shades of grey, white, and light blue—by depicting Baby Fox with bright orange fur. This artistic choice allows young readers to easily spot Baby Fox on the page each time Papa Fox asks where Baby is, which makes for a fun and engaging read-aloud experience. Plus, what kid doesn’t love to feel as if they know something an adult does not? 

A great choice for a bedtime story, Where’s Baby spotlights a loving relationship between a father and child, and brings to life the playfulness of childhood.

Where’s Baby by Anne Hunter will be out January 7, 2020.

---

Lauren holds an M.A. in Children’s Literature from the University of British Columbia and a B.A. in English from Fordham University. She regularly reviews children’s books for School Library Journal and loves sharing books with her eight nieces and nephews back home in Arizona.