Little Baby Buttercup
Written by Linda Ashman. Illustrated by You Byun.
Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House, 2015. 978-0399167638
Reviews:
“Endearing. . . . Easy to imagine how these pages could become a go-to source of calm and comfort. Ashman and Byun make a case that in both noticing and being noticed, we are loved and lucky.” – Publishers Weekly
“Cozy, predictable, cheerful and brimming with motherly love—a dependably pleasing read-aloud for the smaller set.” – Kirkus Reviews
“A mother narrates a day’s events to her toddler, from home tasks to a park outing. Ashman deftly integrates rich vocabulary (“topple, “soggy,” “journey”) into her couplets.” – School Library Journal
How to Buy
A few sample illustrations . . .
Illustrations copyright 2015 by You Byun. Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin Random House.
About this Story
Little Baby Buttercup,
how I love to scoop you up.
Scoop you up and hold you near.
Kiss your little baby ear.
What can I say? Sometimes I get nostalgic for the toddler days, that sweet (if exhausting) time when every moment seems to bring some new discovery, new word, new delight (or sorrow—discovery can be painful).
And sometimes I get a phrase stuck in my head that won’t let go, like—well—the title of this book.
Little Baby Buttercup is the result of these two “sometimes” happening simultaneously. The story comes directly from the days when we had a toddler in the house. But, as I advise many writers who want to write about things that really happened, I tweaked the truth. Instead of writing about a little boy (in particular, my little boy, Jackson), the main character is a girl. And, although I used many terms of endearment for Jackson when he was that age (and still do), “Little Baby Buttercup” wasn’t actually one of them—I just liked the sound and rhythm of it.
In writing the story, I wanted to capture the ordinary—yet monumental—adventures and emotions of toddlerhood, a period of enormous change, growth, and learning. I hope toddlers will recognize themselves in Buttercup and her activities—whether “helping” in the garden, meeting friends at the park, or taking a tumble on unsteady legs—and that her relationship with a loving adult will feel familiar and comforting.
So much of the story came from a particular time and place in my life—our former neighborhood of old houses in Los Angeles, our little park, the shops and cafés on Larchmont Boulevard. So it was a lovely surprise when You Byun’s artwork arrived and so many scenes reminded me of those very places—even though You lives in New York. I love the charm and tenderness of her illustrations, and imagine they’ll resonate with toddlers and their parents—no matter where they live. Here are a few samples; find more on You’s website.