Candace Fleming�s Smile, Lily! is told in rhyme, with repetitive phrases that invite participation. Lily�s �Waa! Waa! Waa!� is a refrain that continues throughout the book, punctuated by other triplet phrases � �Fly! Fly! Fly!� �Sweet. Sweet. Sweet� �Woo! Woo! Woo!� �There. There. There� �You! You! You!�
The theme is universal: babies cry and rule the household. Adults get in a tizzy when the formulaic remedies don�t work, and panic starts to seize them in a remarkably short time. Is Baby sick, suffering, traumatized?! Children, on the other hand, accept a situation at face value, and do what comes naturally: act silly for the Baby. �Everybaby� is enchanted with �Everykid,� especially �Everysibling,� and usually can�t resist the antics of a brother or sister.
This book would be an ideal gift for children with a new baby in the family. Not only will it help put future �crises� in perspective, it elevates their role as a valued person in the baby�s life as well as that of the family unit. Seeing themselves as associate caretakers, rather than competitors for Mom�s and Dad�s attention, can ease this sometimes rocky transition.
The text of the story takes a backseat to the art in this book. Yumi Heo�s primitive-style illustrations are rendered in oil, pencil and collage, in nursery-themed hues. Baby Lily�s rage increases exponentially as the story progresses, with her face growing ever redder and the tears becoming ever more copious. As the tension heightens, the baby grows ever bigger, with the adults finally being reduced to paper-doll cutouts. Little brother, playing in the background, is observant but unconcerned. When he finally see his chance to cheer up his baby sister, his big grinning face fills the page, just as it fills Lily�s world.
�This satisfying, buoyant picture book will appeal to beginning readers as well as to storytime groups or during one-on-one sharing.� (School Library Journal, March 1, 2004)
Relevant Web Sites
About Yumi Heo:
http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/puboff/bccb/1197feat.html
http://www.storyopolis.com/portfolio-dbp.asp?ArtistID=237
About Candace Fleming:
http://www.d303.org/schools/WildR/news/lit%20fest/candace_fleming.htm
Source
Books in Print [database online]. Available from http://www.booksinprint.com. Accessed via TWU Library 11 September 2004.
School of Library and Information Studies
TEXAS WOMAN'S UNIVERSITY