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There is stiff competition to garner the attention of young children, and much of that competition comes from Sesame Street and its progeny of high quality and charming books and toys. It this reputation that makes Sesame Street Baby Party! such a disappointment, since it’s so unlike the litany of wonderful Sesame Street books that have preceded it.
While the book focuses on the appealing themes of birthday party fun, gifts, cupcakes and cleaning up, my main criticism rests with the author’s failure to decide whether Baby Party! is picture book or an actual story with a beginning, middle or end. This indecisiveness results in a book that falls short on both fronts, resulting in both an unsatisfying picture book (too many words) and unsatisfying storyline (a.k.a. the absence of one).
The photographs of the babies with Sesame Street characters are heart-warming and will likely appeal to very young children who see images of themselves alongside some familiar characters. The irony is that these photographs on their own would be a product worth its cover price, but unfortunately, here, the text (a few disconnected thoughts held together by the loose theme of a birthday party) detracts from the book’s overall appeal.
Those heading to a birthday party know to arrive with a gift in hand. If you decide books are your present of choice, then the good news is that it will not take you much effort to find a selection better than Sesame Street Baby Party!.
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Sesame Street Baby Party!