Written and Illustrated by Marla Frazee
Harcourt, Inc., 2006
Is sitting there on your bottom getting boring?
The plot in a nutshell: Lessons on how to start walking.
If you’re a baby and you’re tired of just sitting around, maybe it’s time to start walking. The first step, of course, is to stand up. It’s best to find something to support yourself until you’re ready to stand without support. Once you’re standing, find your balance and then let go of your support and stand all on your own. And don’t worry about falling down. That happens to everyone. When you’re ready to go to the next level, make sure you’re ready and your surroundings are prepared, then look straight ahead and start by taking that first step, then the next and before you know it, you’re walking!
Bookshelf favorite Marla Frazee scores again in this wonderful and motivating book, which is delightfully relevant to anyone in the process of trying something new. I love the framework of literal first steps to symbolize the important things you need to do before any major endeavor, such as finding balance, leaning on others for support until you’re ready to go it alone and of course, getting back up from the inevitable falls. With all that in mind, however, I imagine that the book is also very appealing to kids, especially those who have younger siblings learning to walk.
Hang in there, Baby!
The illustrations, done in pencil and gouache, are as adorable as I have come to expect from Ms. Frazee, who has an amazing ability to show depth of expression in this baby’s face. We see lots of familiar emotions reflected here, including fear, frustration, determination, confidence and the joy of accomplishment. I don’t think it’s an accident that on the final page, the baby is walking away from the reader, gently reminding parents that every milestone moves your baby toward to the goal of independence, which also moves them away from you. I really enjoyed this book and its message.
And what did we learn? What I take away from this book is that every big accomplishment starts with one single decision to get moving.
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