It's hard to be a baby

"Hey there, babies./ I hear you.// Everyone thinks your lives are easy," begins the compassionate narrator of this picture book focused on infant experiences. As digital illustrations by Medina (Elena Rides) depict round-headed, dot-eyed infants fussing and crying, the voice breaks down the truth. Babies arrive from a "warm and dark and quiet" place into a world that's "cold/ and bright and LOUD"; in this realm, "You have to tell these people everything.// When you're hot./ When you're hungry." And if that's not enough for infants to endure, myriad complicated outfits--shown festooned with ruffles and accessorized with elaborate headgear across a full spread--are foisted on them, too. "But hang in there, babies.// Good things are coming," the narrator promises: smiles and laughter, a regular sleep schedule, a diet that's both tasty and highly interactive, and all kinds of interesting milestones. But whence does this wisdom come? As Klein (Hamsters Make Terrible Roommates) reveals, from an actual former baby who is now a confident, happy kid. There's something for everyone in these gently funny pages: warmhearted solace for new parents, support for freshly minted siblings, and tender empathy for the very newest among us. Ages 2--5. Author's agent: Brianne Johnson, HG Literary. Illustrator's agent: Gillian MacKenzie, Gillian MacKenzie Agency. (Oct.)

A knowledgeable narrator describes the challenges of coming into the world, surviving your first years, and beginning to grow up. The many babies depicted here in detailed multimedia illustrations are healthy, plump, and very well loved. They and their families are diverse in terms of race; some infants belong to same-sex couples. The narrator addresses the babies directly, detailing their lives in utero: "You just kicked your feet! Turned somersaults! Partied! And you got to be naked, which is the best!" Birth brought with it a host of problems: "You have to tell these people everything. When you're hot. When you're hungry." The humorously authoritative voice continues: "But hang in there, babies. Good things are coming." The babies will discover their hands and feet, they'll start sleeping through the night, and they'll learn to crawl and walk. There's a bit of a surprise ending when the narrator is revealed. (Some readers may have even noticed the speaker lurking on earlier pages.) The illustrations depict harried grown-ups attending to these new arrivals. One especially amusing image shows a parent trying to hold a baby amid a chaotic plumbing situation; on another spread, parents struggle to get a stroller safely down the subway steps. Adults and many preschoolers will certainly smile with recognition at the experiences portrayed, though the book is a bit too sophisticated for babies themselves. New big siblings will get a kick out of this--as will first-time parents.(Picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.