3/13/08

Picture book great for moms-to-be

by Mary Burns

Ma! There’s Nothing to Do Here!

By Barbara Park

Illustrated by Viviana Garofoli

($15.95, Random House)

“A Word from Your Baby-in-Waiting,” the subtitle of this delightful picture book, establishes the perspective of the narrator. When children’s book author Barbara Park saw the ultrasound of her unborn grandson, she wondered how he might be feeling in utero. In rhyme, she speculates that he’s rather bored, with nowhere to go and nothing to do in increasingly limited space.

“What’s a baby to do in a womb with no view?”  He practices kicking and hiccupping and plans what he’ll do when he’s out.

The colorful illustrations are well-suited to the playful rhythm of the text, making this amusing book the ideal present for a Mommy-in-Waiting when “I bet you a dime that it’s almost Show Time!”

Barbara Park is the author of the popular “Junie B. Jones” series for young readers.

Mary Burns is the owner of The BookWORKS in Downtown Marysville. (360) 659-4997 or www.marysvillebookworks.com.