June 30, 2011
Our Best Book from this week's library haul: Cinnamon Baby by Nicola Winstanley
We had very good luck at the library this week, and so to determine a Best Book was difficult. We were delighted with Robert McCloskey’s One Morning in Maine, which was so lovely that Harriet sat through the whole thing even though it was looong. We liked The House Book by Keith DuQuette, Dog in Boots by Greg Gormley, and An Evening at Alfie’s (but then we love all the Alfie books). Our favourite of all of them, however, has been Cinnamon Baby by Nicola Winstanley, about a brand new baby who cries and cries, until her mother (who is a baker) finally soothes her with the smell of cinnamon bread baking in the oven. A very good book for those in our family who remember a certain baby who once cried, and cried, and also for those of us who are absolutely obsessed with babies (hint: not the parents). And Janice Nadeau’s illustrations are as lovely as the prose, whimsical and yet grounded with familiar objects its readers will know. We particularly like the cat who is holding an umbrella…
I adore Robert McCloskey. I think, although celebrated, has largely been forgotten. His Time of Wonder tears me up every single time.
I think I’ll have to search out Cinnamon Baby. With a new one arriving two months from now (give or take), a book about a crying baby sounds just right. Especially if it will involve some baking, too.
Thank you for your sweet review; it made me laugh! (I had to convince my publisher that many little kids were obsessed with babies!!) But, most of all, I love it that you love the Alfie books. I, and both my kids, absolutely adore them, and no doubt they have influenced my writing greatly. I feel honoured to be even included in this list! Wow! You just made my day.