Just So Stories

Thames & Hudson

January 2026

ISBN: 9781760765323

RRP: $24.99

As adults I think there are many of us who can relate to this investigation into the arch-criminal and dastardly doer of deeds that is the World’s Cutest Baby. Whether it’s finding our walls liberally decorated with abstract art done in the crayon medium, or indeed the dog also decorated but with felt pen or perhaps it’s the discovery of an entire bedroom and its contents smeared all over with poo escaped from a nappy [yes, that was my eldest and I will NEVER let her forget it!].

Maybe it’s the hours of labour and ingenuity coming up with meals and morsels to tempt any appetite only to have every single bite rejected, sending one into a frenzy of fear that the child will starve [that was my youngest, The Kid’s mother!].

Or you might have the biter who bites siblings, cousins, cot, toys and back of Mummy’s leg when she is unaware and flips out [and that was my middle one – she really did sneak up behind me and bite my leg – there may have been a scream and a knee-jerk reaction. At least she never did it again!].

Have kids they say! It will be the best time of your life they say! and, of course, it is – although you may not always realise it at the time.

Davina has captured the many crazy moments of babyhood and they are accompanied ably by Sarah’s illustrations, and your readers will giggle themselves silly. I would love to know how many of them will be able to tell stories about themselves as babies after having this read to them. Who really was the worst baby in the class? This would be a great time to invite parents to submit their own story about their child as a baby.

Of course, it’s also true that, as parents, we do actually go completely goofy about our offspring and we will indeed do the silly voices, sing the made-up songs and dance the chicken dance – and that’s just for starters. And you definitely will read the same book over and over again. I was just recalling in this past week that every night, I would have to read Little Black Sambo and The Three Little Pigs not just once each night but multiple times to the eldest grandson – so don’t for a minute think it ends with your own children!

And without a doubt, I would do it all, all over again. I may be proud of my grown-up adult girls, and miss my youngest every single day and love my five grandchildren who are also almost all adults now, but I really do often miss those days when they were babies and Smalls.

Make some fun memories now with this one with your class or your own little people from around 4 years upwards. I give it a 4 👶👶👶👶rating.