View source for Boom, Baby, Boom, Boom! by Margaret Mahy and Margaret Chamberlain

{{infobox2
|title=Boom, Baby, Boom, Boom!
|author=Margaret Mahy and Margaret Chamberlain
|reviewer=Lorraine McDonald
|genre=For Sharing
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|isbn=9781847804105
|pages=32
|publisher=Frances Lincoln Children's Books 
|date=March 2014
|aznuk=1847804101
|aznus=1847804101
|cover=1847804101
|website=
|video=
|summary=A colourful, noisy and, ever so slightly mad tale of a drum playing Mama who is too distracted by her musical endeavours to notice a line of animals sneaking in to the kitchen to eat her baby’s lunch. Read this for fun not for weaning tips!
}}
Aeroplane noises, choo-choo sounds, demonstrations of mouth opening wide.  I’ve heard them all suggested to help with weaning reluctant baby eaters. Never though, has it crossed my mind to bang a drum set whilst lunch time is in session. Not even at my lowest point, when I made the rookie error of crouching to pick up dropped food enabling baby to lovingly ruffle my hair with his sweet, tiny, and Weetabix concreted fingers, did this occur to me. Obviously I’m not as cool a Mama as the Mama in ''Boom, Baby, Boom Boom!''…  

It’s lunch time, so Mama has carefully prepared a smorgasborg of healthy foods for baby. She lists them all out loud while baby bounces in her highchair. Listening at the window is a bunch of animals. When Mama bangs her drums to make her ''feel at ease with the world'', she closes her eyes and does not notice the animals opening the door.  She does not notice baby throw her food an item at a time to the floor.  She certainly does not notice each animal come in to eat it all up.  Not even the cow. When Mama finally puts her drum sticks down she is delighted to see an empty plate. Good baby gets banana for desert – and she eats that all up.

This is a colourful, lively and ever so slightly mad (in a good way) book that will strike a chord with any parent who has lovingly chopped, blended, mushed and portioned food for their little one only to see it spread across the floor. The idea of a passing cow taking care of any unwanted vegetables will appeal to toddlers. Mama remaining blissfully unaware of proceedings adds to the humour and every one loves a naughty baby. There’s fun as well in the onomatopoeia, from the boom-biddy-boom-biddy to the bow-wow-wow.
   
Though the drum playing is quirky and the baby is precocious, this book is rooted in a traditional story device. The animal cast is counted in, their food choice is listed, then they are counted out again, albeit more rapidly.  As a childhood fan of ''Chicken Licken'' I can vouch for the appeal of such repetition though my own mother may beg to differ. Certainly, there’s a good learning opportunity here to test the child’s recall of who comes in next and who eats what. If the story becomes wearing on re-telling, there are always the lovely double page spreads to make narration more bearable. The animals are charming, each with a hint of character in their depiction, baby is cute and Mama, splendid in her polka dot tunic, is as cool as her drum playing.

The animal antics in ''Boom, Baby, Boom Boom!'' help make it a winner.  A naughty baby, a cool Mama and some lively sound effects, seal the deal.  My baby says it’s getting towards lunch time now. I’d best look out my drum set and check where the cat is.
 
For more meal time fun try [[Bib On, Bunny by Annie Kubler]].

{{amazontext|amazon=1847804101}}
{{amazonUStext|amazon=1847804101}}

{{commenthead}}
[[Category:Margaret Mahy]]
[[Category:Margaret Chamberlain]]