Booklist - May 1, 2010

A companion volume to Global Babies, which appeared on the 2008 Notable Children's Book's List, this appealing board book offers 17 close-up photos of babies. Like the previous volume, this has a brief text, really a single sentence divided into phrases: "All across this land, / from sea to shining sea / curious babies / explore their world, / laughing and playing, / spreading joy, sharing hope, / surrounded by love." From the Hawaiian child on the cover to the African-American girl on the last page, all the babies pictured are beyond early infancy. Their expressive faces and emotions are as varied as their family backgrounds, surroundings, and activities. One baby plays with his feet, another laughs at falling leaves, while another attempts to bite into an apple. The pleasing layout places each colorful, full-page photo opposite a page with a slightly smaller photo and large-type text on its bright, solid-color border. It's well-known that young children like to look at faces and at other children, but adults will find these fine photos equally captivating. That's a strong recommendation for a board book, which must stand up to multiple readings. From its inviting cover to the hug implied at the end, here's a beautiful book to share with babies and toddlers.

Here's another adorable chunky book for the youngest chubby little hands to hold … and drool and toothlessly grin over. The parents will have their heartstrings pulled a few times, too …

Filled with the many multi-culti, ethnically diverse faces of American babydom – from a mini farmer amidst golden fields, to an already voracious reader ready to "explore their world," to a baseball lover crawling to the next game while "laughing and playing," to an unsure pigtailed wonder "sharing hope" snuggled in a loved one's arms – just about every baby will find a friend or two amidst all the hard-to-resist babies all securely "surrounded by love."

With partial proceeds benefitting The Global Fund for Children's "innovative community-based organizations that serve the worlds' most vulnerable children and youth," this give-back little number is a lovable introduction to the boundless wonder of books …!