King Baby

Written and illustrated by Kate Beaton

Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic

978-0-545-63754-1

40 pp.

Ages 4-8

September 2016

Though some parents might not find it humourous the way the baby in King Baby has his parents running to and fro to make his life perfect–perhaps they'll see it as castigating their own efforts–children and others will laugh at the uproarious manipulation by a swaddled egg of a baby to get everything, and I mean everything, that he desires, now and forever.  Yep, as the book says, "It is good to be king."

From King Baby by Kate Beaton

From King Baby’s birth, after which he is presented to his many admirers bearing gifts and admiration, the baby is generous with his smiles and laughs and kisses, his wiggles, gurgles and coos.  But then he begins to demand: food, burping, changing, bouncing, being carried.  It’s endless.  For King Baby, life is grand.  For King Baby’s parents, life is exhausting.  He sees them as subjects, fools even, though their ineptitude finally gets him up and toddling.  His future is even more glorious now with all that he can accomplish, though not always to everyone’s delight. (The cat looks a little dismayed.)  But King Baby has to grow up, and becoming a big boy, he learns that they’ll be going through the whole process again, this time with Queen Baby.

It’s obvious that Kate Beaton, known as Auntie Katie to the Malcolm to whom she dedicates the book, knows that of which she writes and illustrates.  A new baby is a wondrous joy but an exhausting one.  Kate Beaton’s quirky illustrations, especially of King Baby as a rotund creature swaddled in a blanket and topped with a golden crown, are too funny, and lend a comical air to a bizarrely normal yet wacky situation i.e., the joy and adoration of a new baby.  I don’t know if Kate Beaton meant to give King Baby that evil glint in his eye but he seems to know what he’s doing i.e., making everyone jump to satisfy his every whim.  Without the means to communicate with clarity, King Baby has them running around doing everything to appease him.  Ah, it’s good to be king!

From King Baby by Kate Beaton

Share this hilarious book with any new parents you know.  If they’re not too tired, they’ll certainly see the humour in their situation.  And if they’re just too tired, share it with the aunts and uncles and grandmothers and grandfathers and godmothers and everyone else who appreciate the cuteness that is a new baby but recognize the long haul of parenting still to come.  Hail the royal entourage!

The Princess and the Pony

by Kate Beaton

Arthur A. Levine/Scholastic

978-0-545-63708-4

40 pp.

Ages 4-8

July 2015

Here's a charming story that is perfect for sweetly demonstrating that perspective is everything!

Princess Pinecone, with the stubby shape and minuscule and pointy feet iconic of Kate Beaton's heroines*, is determined to compete in a great battle competition where all the warriors of her kingdom would be showing their stuff.  Of course, they all have the right gear: shields, amulets, and helmets.  And she hopes that she'd get something of warrior greatness for her birthday, rather than the cozy sweaters she got every year; in fact, this year she has been desperately hinting at a grand horse. But what she gets is a pony: a short, rotund pony that eats what it shouldn't and farts too much.

Princess Pinecone's advice to her pony on the day of the battle is, "Just...do your best."(pg. 19) But it's a mean battle, with spitballs, squareballs (!) and all manner of balls, and warriors being knocked over every which way.  When the meanest warrior of all, though, takes aim at Princess Pinecone, he is stopped dead in his tracks by her little roly-poly pony. Seems the warriors never get to express their cuddly sides and are delighted to enjoy Princess Pinecone's cutie-pie of a pony.  She even helps them all get in touch with their loveable natures via some well-selected sweaters!

She may not have been the meanest warrior at the battle, but Princess Pinecone and the pony are voted the Most Valuable Warriors of the day, and hefted onto a multitude of hairy, tattooed and rough warrior arms in celebration. You can't beat that for cuteness or inspiration.

The Princess and the Pony has all the right ingredients for a masterpiece children's book:  an irresistible princess; a short and plump little pony; a loving family who tries to get the right birthday gift for a little warrior; a plethora of superhero-like warriors; a challenge to which our protagonist must rise; a valuable lesson in being oneself; a happy ending; and a little bathroom humour via a farting pony.  Kids will eat this book up!  Share it with them to encourage them to persevere–and to accept birthday gifts gracefully–but delve into Kate Beaton's detailed and comical illustrations with the abandon of a rollicking ruckus. Everyone is sure to win with The Princess and the Pony.


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*I first became enamoured with Kate Beaton's people from her article in "My Books, My Place" for The Globe and Mail, January 21, 2012 in which she described and drew herself in various reading positions. After that, I could always pick out her illustrations.