THIS IS THE DAY!

Counting, adding, and the days of the week are introduced in this quirky traditional song about babies and adoption. “Monday’s the day we give babies away with half a pound of tea,” it begins. The mildly nonsensical rhyming text curls around the swirling illustrations as ladies of various races (some seemingly single and some not) visit a Bemelmans-inspired home for infants and adopt consecutively growing numbers of babies. When the final prospective mother declares, “Seven is heaven,” the ladies relax in a circle, lovingly playing with all of their tots. Priceman’s dreamlike watercolors are a joy to behold, and Gershator’s adaptation of the song retains a buoyant musical quality. While adoption itself receives a relatively light treatment here—each set of babies is accompanied by a whimsical gift such as milk and cookies or a bear and a honeybee—young listeners will come away with the idea that each child is very much wanted and all of the new families are filled with warmth and love. Includes an author’s note on the song’s origins. (Picture book. 3-6)