The baby that roared! by Simon Puttock

Ill. by Nadia Shireen. Noisy Crow, 2012. ISBN 978 0 85763 018 6.
(Ages: 6+) Picture book. Humour. Poor Mr and Mrs Deer have no baby, and wish they had. They want something to play with, to cuddle and love, to read stories to. One day a baby is left on their doorstep with a note, asking them to do just that. They are enthralled, but once the baby begins to roar they are perplexed as to what to do. They enlist the help of friends, who make various suggestions, but each time one of their friends stay with the baby, they disappear. A whole range of reasons for the roaring baby is given by each of the friends before they disappear, until Granny Bear comes along and suggest the baby needs burping with very funny results.
This is a very funny introduction to the needs of a baby, told in a humorous and enticing format, with illustrations that will enchant and delight the readers. Children will hear for themselves the range of needs a baby has, from being cuddled, loved, given milk to drink, having nappies changed and so on. This can be read on many levels, as an amusing story to share with a class, or for individual reading, the characters will delight the reader. In a class where babies and their needs is under discussion, this will form a very neat introduction to the topic, providing a marvellous opening to discussion about the needs and wants of a baby through a picture book with animal characters.
Fran Knight