Margaret Wild (text) and Hannah Sommerville (illustrator), Reading to Baby, Affirm Press, May 2024, 32 pp., RRP $24.99 (hbk), ISBN 9781922930378
A simple, yet simply beautiful book about the gift of reading and the joys of family life. In busy families, the act of sharing a story by reading aloud can be lost, and yet with a 2024 Grattan Institute Report finding that a third of Australian children are unable to read proficiently (Hunter, Stobart, & Haywood, 2024) this time spent together is one of the most valuable things a family can do together.
Reading to Baby begins with four brothers, excitedly greeting their brand new sister, Dora. Each has plans for how they will spend time with her; one will cuddle her, one will rock her to sleep, one will make her laugh, and one will read to her. As Dora grows, her brothers continue to share special times with her, engaging in many different activities; and yet Peter always reads to Dora –delighting her with the wonders of fantasy and imagination. Soon enough, it is time for Dora to go to school; and she and Peter continue to bond over stories; but now, with a wonderful twist!
In the hands of expert storyteller Margaret Wild, the minimal text with a repeated pattern invites young readers to join Dora and her brothers, while Hannah Sommerville’s lush and playful illustrations create a gentle atmosphere captures the magic of growing up surrounded by love and literature. The most detailed pages are those where Peter reads to Dora – depicting her imagination providing the illustrations to Peter’s words.
This is a gentle story with a clear and important message – a love of reading begins from birth, and readers grow through reading and being read to. Suitable for a young children’s reading circle and bound to become a favourite bedtime tradition, Reading to Baby should find its home in children’s libraries and on family bookshelves, and would also be a wonderful gift for a newborn to ignite the love of reading as early as possible. Reading to Baby has just been longlisted on the 2025 Indie Awards in the Children’s category.
Reviewed by Kay Oddone
