Angela Casabene (text) and Hilary Jean Tapper (illustrator), Baby and Me, Affirm Press, January 2025, 24 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781923022560
Baby and Me is a poetic tribute to the earliest of days with a new baby. The text is brief, but this style gives the reader a chance to pause and reflect on the contemplative text and thoughtful imagery. A book for the times when women are in the bubble of new motherhood, and musing over the past, present, and future with their child – from the first time they find out they are pregnant, to meeting them for the first time, and eventually watching their child grow into their own person.
Baby and me is recommended for younger readers, although it’s the parents who will get the most fulfillment out of this book, as a nostalgic nod to the early days as a family.
Trigger warning: While the sentiment of the book is well meant, the reader (or recipient of this book if gifted) should be aware of a potential trigger warning with regards to this text – it may not be suitable for any mum who has had a difficult pregnancy or birth, or is having challenges with breastfeeding, or who might be experiencing PND, or any other significant challenges that can come from a traumatic pregnancy, birth, or post-birth-related circumstances.
Reviewed by Lauren Harcombe
