Share this book

Hutton, a pediatrician, advocates for sharing the joy of reading by utilizing the “SHARE STEP” method—each letter of the acronym stands for a different component of a shared reading experience, the book’s back explains. (S stands for “Snuggle on your lap”; H is for “Hands On—let your baby hold the book and learn how it works.”) Inside, babies from different families appear engaging with a book: a baby in a tutu holds a book on her head, pats it, and even tastes it. A mother sings along with the book she reads to her child in a dinosaur onesie: “Share your voice, a happy song. S-t-r-e-t-c-h-y words dance along” (“S-t-r-e-t-c-h word sounds so your baby can learn them,” Hutton instructs on the back cover). Illustrated in a friendly graphic style with minty, peach, and gray tones, this is a fresh, modern celebration of reading.