Baby’s Got the Blues by C. Diggory Shields
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.20361/G2831JAbstract
Diggory Shields, Carol. Baby’s Got the Blues. Illus. Lauren Tobia. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2014. Print.
With the word Baby in the title, one might believe that this book is suitable only for pre-school children. The author, Carol Shields, erases this assumption with the first sentence: “You think babies have it easy?” The book, Baby’s Got the Blues, is told from the perspective of the youngest in the family, and pays tribute to all the trials and tribulations that Baby encounters- full diapers, the inability to talk, eat pizza, walk, and having to sleep in a crib. In the end, all of Baby’s blues are wiped away when the best part of being a baby is revealed- cuddles.
Written in the Blues musical style, with rhythm and beat, those who are inclined could easily find themselves singing this story out loud, even improvising their own lines. The repeated refrain, “Cause I’m a baby, And I’ve got those baby blues. B-A-B-Y, baby, Got the poor little baby blues,” changes slightly after each verse to reflect Baby’s blues. For example, the word “blues” in the first line of the refrain is substituted for “stinkeroos” after Baby deals with a stinky diaper.
The illustrations of this picture book highlight Baby’s world and help to tell Baby’s story in a fun way that includes Baby’s rabbit stuffy, which seems to experience the same trials and tribulations that Baby does. I highly recommend this book for babies, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, and budding Blues musicians alike. Shield’s tells of Baby’s blues in a way that is enjoyable and will get even the most non-musical tapping their foot.
Highly Recommended: 4 out of 4 stars
Reviewer: Sheena Newbury
Sheena is an elementary music teacher with Edmonton Catholic School and is currently working on completing her Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She loves reading and sharing literature with her music classes.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).