Mommies Say Shhh!

Bunnies, as the refrain says, say nothing at all. This book starts with only a few animals making their signature sounds, but as it gets longer and the scenes get wilder we end in all the animals making noise in a rush... until Mom, with her little baby, has to step in with shhhh. (And bunnies say nothing at all.) Sweet book, and a fast read. Not much to say on that topic.

My baby loves this book and especially the ending. This book has two stories going in it--the written story and the illustrated story. It is an absolutely delightful, beautiful, book. I want to frame all the pictures and hang them on the wall. It is very Scandinavian looking.

The second I saw this book in my professor's office I became jealous of babies everywhere. I've been dying to give this to my cousin's year-and-a-half old sweet pea because I cannot think of a more precious story (well, Hug and MAMA: a TRUE story, in which a BABY HIPPO loses his MAMA during a TSUNAMI, but finds a new home, and a new MAMA certainly give anything a run for its money). With the understated grace and meadowside whimsy we've come to rely on from Polacco, Mommies Say Shhh! takes a peek at some young children working and playing at a farm in all its acre-ous (it's a word) glory. We watch them go about their chores and knitting accompanied by their animals' sounds. "Dogs say buff, buff, buff. Sheep say baa, baa, baa. Geese say honk, honk, honk. Bunnies say nothing at all." Little ones will love the bright colors and silly animal antics which provide even more story than the text. Readers will love the comforting rise and fall cadence of noisy animals and silent, twitchy-nose bunnies. Sure to be a repeat.

Patricia Polacco has captured the reader, both adult and toddler, with Mommies Say SHHH. The delightful illustrations and words bring a special bonding conversational interaction between the adult and child that is invaluable. This type of laptime reading plants the seeds for a lifetime love of reading. Our 14 month old granddaughter selects this book every night as the "goodnight book." Polacco's books continue to be treasured by this educator and grandmother.