Mama Lou's Belly

by Marie-Francine Hébert (Author) Guillaume Perreault (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Mama Lou is pregnant and everyone's guessing what's in her belly. Who is hiding in there? The bird thinks it's a cat because everyone keeps petting it. The cat thinks it's a mouse because Mama Lou is craving cheese. The brother thinks it's a boy, and a good soccer player too. And the sister thinks it's a doll she can dress up. Everyone has their own idea. "But I'm not any of those things!" the baby says from inside Mama's belly. "I'm me! Don't you understand?" No one can hear it. Until...WHAAA! The baby is tired of being ignored. It's time their voice was heard. Finally the guessing is over and the baby can show their family who they really are!
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School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3--A family is preparing for a new baby, and everyone is trying to guess what's in Mama Lou's belly! A bird is worried it might be a new cat that will try to eat her. The cat is hoping it's a big fat mouse for her to eat. The ball in the living room is sure that it will be another ball. Grandpa hopes the new baby will not be bald like he is. Big Sister is hoping for a doll to dress up and play with. As each character tells about what they are thinking, the baby, from inside Mama Lou, also makes comments about what it will and won't be. Once the baby is born, there is no gender reveal and the author uses gender neutral pronouns with the baby. This is a fun story to read because, as Daddy says in the story, "Expecting a baby is a gift!" The warm artwork and gently rendered characters echo the love and affection the family feels for each other that the text projects. This would be a good addition to libraries with populations of young or growing families. It would also make a good lesson about making predictions, as well as point of view. VERDICT A welcome addition to libraries looking to add books about new babies to their collections.--Debbie Tanner

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"The warm artwork and gently rendered characters echo the love and affection the family feels for each other...A welcome addition to libraries looking to add books about new babies."

— "School Library Journal"
Marie-Francine Hébert

Marie-Francine Hébert is an award-winning author and playwright. Over her thirty-year career, she has won the Mr. Christie's Book Award, the Prix Alvine-Bélisle and the Prix Marcel-Couture, and she was nominated for the Governor General's Literary Award and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, among others. Marie-Francine lives in Montreal.

Guillaume Perreault is a graphic designer who now works mainly as a freelance illustrator and author. His techniques vary according to his projects, but balance, contrast and humor are present in all of his work. Guillaume lives in Gatineau, Quebec.

Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781459833883
Lexile Measure
500
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Orca Book Publishers
Publication date
October 17, 2023
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV013040 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | New Baby
Library of Congress categories
Pregnancy

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