Let's go Baby-O by Janet and Andrew McLean

Allen and Unwin, 2011. ISBN 9781742375649.
(Age 3-5) Recommended. A toddler and his young companion have great fun, playing, 'Let's go, Baby-O', whirling and twirling, up and down. In between energetic dances, they stop and look out the window and what do they see? The little boy concentrates on the birds in a tree and what they are doing, but the reader can see so much else going on outside: children building a cubbyhouse, a dog being washed, people gardening and a cat climbing a tree.
The young child will have such fun playing the 'Let's go Baby-O' games, learning about bouncing and pouncing, jumping, bumping and thumping as well as flipping, flopping and hopping. They also clap and flap, twist, twirl and whirl. In between this frenetic dancing, come the quiet moments when both the little boy and the reader can look out the window and have a chance to check what is happening outside. The language of this story is exuberant and young children will learn lots of new words as well as long to be up and dancing as the story is read to them.
I love the illustrations as well. There are little details like the toys that the little boy brings one by one to the windowsill to observe what is going on, until there is a long line of them looking out as well. The activity in the garden is amazing and the reader or child who is listening to the story will be amazed at the fact that the little boy is concentrating on the birds when there is so much else going on. The illustrations are in soft pastels, and the antics of the cat and dog add a depth of humour to the garden scene.
This is a very special book that will teach language as well as giving children the opportunity to have lots of fun with the story.
Pat Pledger