Header Work

Babymoon

Juana Martinez-Neal

Published Work

Available wherever books are sold

    • Title: Babymoon
    • Publisher: Candlewick Press
    • Release Date: April 2, 2019
    • Author: Hayley Barrett
    • Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
    • Age Level: 2-5, 32 pages
    • ISBN: 978-0-763-68852-3

In a perfect gift for new and expectant parents (and siblings), a gentle story pays tribute to the wonder and emotion of a family’s first quiet days with a newborn.

The house is hushed. The lights are low.
We’re basking in a newborn glow.

Inside the cozy house, a baby has arrived! The world is eager to meet the newcomer, but there will be time enough for that later. Right now, the family is on its babymoon: cocooning, connecting, learning, and muddling through each new concern. While the term “babymoon” is often used to refer to a parents’ getaway before the birth of a child, it was originally coined by midwives to describe days like these: at home with a newborn, with the world held at bay and the wonder of a new family constellation unfolding. Paired with warm and winsome illustrations by Juana Martinez-Neal, Hayley Barrett’s lyrical ode to these tender first days will resonate with new families everywhere.

Reviews

★ Barrett’s lyrical poetry is enchanting, and Martinez-Neal’s artwork is as soft and round and delicate as a newborn. Her representation of each precious moment is a croon-worthy, dimpled, tiny-fisted pleasure (…) A guaranteed homerun read-aloud (…) this book is also a perfect gift for expecting friends and an ideal addition for home and public libraries. —Starred review

Martinez-Neal’s distinctive illustrations feature soft, hazy lines that convey a dreamlike quality. The muted colors of the clothing and surroundings, along with the ample use of white space, let the family’s skin tones shine with a reddish glow that can be interpreted as a blush of happiness (…) Expect this lovely gift for new parents to live by the rocking chair, helping families discover their own “babymoons.”

(…) two new parents learn the rhythms of caring for their newborn. The moments shared between the family members are tender, joyful, and sometimes anxious (…) A graceful celebration of the uncertainty and delight of new parenthood.

Arresting yet cozy illustrations and a spare, poetic text work together in this lovely book that will work well as a baby read-aloud (…) A great gift for new parents, this would make a lovely addition to any library’s baby storytime shelves.

There are a lot of comforting curves in Martinez-Neal’s sure and gentle lines and velvety-soft illustrations (…) With heartfelt honesty, both Barrett and Martinez-Neal refrain from painting a saccharine portrait of new parenthood, and toddlers old enough to sit and listen to this story will delight in considering the ways in which their parents cared for them during their first years.

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Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel
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Full Circle Literary