Review by Vanessa Bedford Gill
Published by Candlewick Press, Random House Canada
$22.99. Hardcover, 32 pages. ISBN 9780763697433
Ages 3-7, Pre-K to Grade 2
Picture Book
The clowns tried juggling.
They tried driving around in their tiny car.
They tried making their silliest clown faces.
But still, Baby Clown cried.
WAAAAH!!! WAAAH!!!
P.T. Barnum claimed that clowns are the pegs on which the circus is hung, which must mean that the future of any great circus is the birth of a baby clown. In Baby Clown, Kara LaReau’s amusing story of the first, rather noisy, days of the Dingling Circus heir, will delight readers. He cries, wails and sobs, and nobody can calm him down. Boffo and Frieda, his beleaguered parents who never remove their clown makeup, tend to his every whim, but to no avail. New parents will likely recognize the futile attempts of this frazzled duo with weary amusement. LaReau handles the situation with both humour and empathy, as we learn that only thunderous applause will appease this little one.
Having grown up on a diet of Quentin Blake as a child in England, Cordell’s illustrations are like comfort food for the eye. The Caldecott-winning artist’s cartoon style is infused with energy and movement that mirrors the pace of the story. Capturing the facial expressions of the baby and parents with rich watercolours enhances the story and gives the reader a visual feast.
Baby Clown manages to keep both child and adult readers invested because of the lighthearted nature of this amusing tale about a little one so lachrymose. All crying babies stop eventually, but this tiny clown is picky and his parents need to figure out exactly what he wants in order to dry his tears. LaReau keeps the audience guessing, building the anticipation for readers, young and old. A crazy car ride? Nope. A high-flying trip on a trapeze? Try again! Each turn of the page brings more kooky ideas until the very end when the surprising one that works is revealed to us.
Before I became a Librarian, I volunteered at a school and was always bemused at how often the kindergarten class would beg for a read-aloud of Mo Willems’ Knuffle Bunny. Why? Children love to make the sound of a wailing baby – a sound so universally irritating to adults, that children think they have bamboozled us (they have, but don’t let on!). LaReau’s book just might be the perfect storytime book. It has something for everyone: a wink to parents, and an invitation to participate for the younger ones.
This amusing picture book will appeal to preschoolers, first graders, and parents alike. As Baby Clown reminds us, the show must go on!
Vanessa Bedford Gill is a Librarian and pursuing her MA in Children’s Literature at UBC. She enjoys creative writing, travelling, and drinking copious amounts of tea while reading picture books to her four children, even though they tell her that they are far too old for this pastime!
YOUNG ADULTING 