Bath Time!
Written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton
Workman Publishing, 2007
$7.95; 10 pp.
ISBN-13: 978-0761147084

Review by Amy Brozio-Andrews

The long-loved Sandra Boynton is back with a charming little bathtub book that's just right for baby bathers. Titled Bath Time! (What else?), this waterproof book can be taken from story time to bath time without a second thought.

The messy pink pig is splashed with paint, standing amid labeled paint pots all around. Young readers are then called on to identify common bath toys that most kids probably either have or recognize -- a duck, boat, ball, whale -- as the pig gathers them for a trip to the tub for a scrub down and kiss. A hidden squeak toy on the last page (easily located with "squeak squeak" near the pig's snout) gives small children a sweet surprise, likely to instigate a similar kiss-on-the-nose game between parent and child.

Bath Time! offers a surprising amount of learning interaction for parents and young kids. There are places to talk about colors, numbers, familiar objects, and everyday routines. Boynton's readily-recognizable artwork is charming and whimsical, featuring a pink pig who demonstrates an awareness of the story being told about her. Bright pastels against a plain white background are great for introducing and reinforcing color awareness. Bold and rhyming text ("Hey! Hey! What do you say! It's time to take a bath today."), reminiscent of that in Boynton's other books, is attention-getting and short enough to hold young readers' interest.

Durable, waterproof pages allow for maximum enjoyment, the perfect book for carrying around and not worrying about whether or not it gets dirty, since it can get a bath too. Thick puffy pages are soft and the book's small size is perfect for small hands eager to explore and read roughly. Bath Time! is a great choice for toddlers; there's lots to look at and the surprise squeaker that they can work on themselves, providing a good story and probably just enough of a diversion that you might be able to finish bathing the baby before she squirms away.