Publisher's Weekly Review
Hutton, a pediatrician, advocates for sharing the joy of reading by utilizing the "SHARE STEP" method-each letter of the acronym stands for a different component of a shared reading experience, the book's back explains. (S stands for "Snuggle on your lap"; H is for "Hands On-let your baby hold the book and learn how it works.") Inside, babies from different families appear engaging with a book: a baby in a tutu holds a book on her head, pats it, and even tastes it. A mother sings along with the book she reads to her child in a dinosaur onesie: "Share your voice, a happy song. S-t-r-e-t-c-h-y words dance along" ("S-t-r-e-t-c-h word sounds so your baby can learn them," Hutton instructs on the back cover). Working in a friendly graphic style with minty, peach, and gray tones, Brown brings a fresh, modern feel to this celebration of reading. Ages up to 3. (Sept.) c Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Caregivers are encouraged to read with their babes. "On your lap, snug and warm, / every day since I was born." So open the uneven rhymes that encourage family bonding through books. Author Hutton is a pediatrician, and he imparts sage early-literacy advice within the pages of the book and in a note to caregivers on the back cover. Brown's art, which only uses pink, blue, black, white, and gray and instantly recalls the work of LeUyen Pham, shows both the joys and the sometimes-less-than-joyful realities of reading with the very young. The most delightful spread depicts a hulking, beleaguered, neck-tie-wearing parent attempting to read with a tiny, squirmy, wide-eyed infant in four droll vignettes. Diverse families are represented, but the limited palette means that gray rather than shades of brown are used to signify darker complexions, which leaves some looking a little bit ill. There is much to love here; it's a pity it doesn't shine in full color. (Board book. 0-2) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
