Little Baby Buttercup

November 24, 2014
Ashman (Rain!) and Byun (Dream Friends) follow their eponymous heroine (who is actually a toddler) and her mother from wake-up to nighttime, eschewing any big highs or lows in favor of letting simple, endearing incidents accumulate. Sunny, digitally enhanced, watercolor-and-ink drawings show a round-faced girl with rosy cheeks and a ready smile as she turns a pancake into a hat, spots a bluebird, and rambles throughout the playground. Her mother, a steady presence, contentedly catalogues her daughter’s activities: “Spy a squirrel./ Pet a pooch/ Oh—a soggy doggy smooch!” Spraying Mom with a garden hose is the most serious transgression, and a skinned hand is quickly bandaged and kissed. Those seeking a little more pep and zip may not make it to the closing scene of Buttercup and her mother dozing on the couch. But it’s also easy to imagine how these pages could become a go-to source of calm and comfort. Ashman and Byun make a case that in both noticing and being noticed, we are loved and lucky. Up to age 2. Author’s agent: Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

November 1, 2014
Little Baby Buttercup blooms under the sunny warmth of her mother's love, beaming as she eats (and wears) breakfast, builds with blocks, works the garden hose, hits the playground and returns home. This read-aloud assumes mother's singsong-y voice, which rocks with simple, solid rhymes (encouraging participation and pleasingly predictable to listeners). "Little Baby Buttercup, / how I love to scoop you up. / Scoop you up and hold you near. / Kiss your little baby ear." She addresses her beloved blossom throughout in a joyful, one-sided conversation that narrates the everyday pleasures that spring from the care for a small child. Inset scenes, both framed and floating, and full-bleed spreads visually describe the variety of tiny experiences a single day with a toddler brings as well as a parent's intense focus on their little one. Paintbrush and ink atop watercolor paper allow for both specificity and soft washes of color. Children might point out a dog's bristly fur or a rose's myriad petals, while a tree's canopy softly glows yellow across the background. Cozy, predictable, cheerful and brimming with motherly love-a dependably pleasing read-aloud for the smaller set. (Picture book. 2-4)

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December 1, 2014

PreS-K-A mother narrates a day's events to her toddler, from home tasks to a park outing. The pair enjoys mischief with a hose, a baked treat, and animal watching. Ashman deftly integrates rich vocabulary ("topple, "soggy," "journey") into her couplets. Byun's cartoons are paint-brushed ink on watercolor and have been digitally manipulated. The soft colors and spare details suit the intended young audience who nevertheless may not keep attentive for the entire tale.-Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA

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