what makes a baby
illustrated by fiona smyth
sj read about this book when silverberg was trying to fund it as a kickstarter project. she thought it sounded so great that she contributed on our family’s behalf. we all think it was money extremely well spent.
the book is a clear and concise explanation of how babies are made. what makes it so great, is that it acknowledges that there are many contexts in which this happens.
silverberg is inclusive in his approach, and explains the biology of the process of baby making without being prescriptive about gender, or family structure.
he acknowledges that trans people, gay people, and families of all configurations make babies. he also builds in opportunities for the child to talk about their own family with the person reading the story.
another thing that i personally love about this book is that it also acknowledges that there are different ways to be born, including by caesarian. i’ve never seen that in a picture book before, and i’m really glad that at least one of arty’s books features how he was born.
i’d say this book is suitable for 3-8 year olds, as the concepts might be a little complex for younger kids. arty already likes it, though, because the illustrations are so vibrant and colourful.
this book is unique in it’s inclusivity, and in it’s clarity. it’s a valuable resource for both families and schools.