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*Use Your Words, Sophie!* by Rosemary Wells
 
Also by Rosemary Wells:

Max and Ruby's Preschool Pranks

Love Waves
Use Your Words, Sophie!
by Rosemary Wells
Ages 2-4 32 pages Viking March 2015 Hardcover    

Two-year-old Sophie the mouse (Time-Out for Sophie, Sophie’s Terrible Twos) has a “brand-new pink-nosed baby” sister named Ashleigh Amber Samantha Marie Symphonie Pearl. Her parents cannot decide on the baby’s name, but they do agree that Sophie has forgotten how to use her words.

Sophie says "hello" to the new baby in Jellyfish language (jubbabubba). She says "no" in Hyena language (grabvjkloz), and when her father tries to put her to bed, she sings the Baboon national anthem.

Realizing they need some help with their children, the parents call grandma to come over. When Sophie sees that even grandma cannot stop “the baby siren,” Sophie takes off her space helmet and says, “Give her to me, please!” Although the adults cannot hear what transpires between the siblings, Sophie is able to calm the baby and give her a name that seems to satisfy everyone.

The ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations appear in dark purple frames against a light purple background. The adults are well-dressed (dad wears a bowtie and plaid pants, and mom wears a flowered apron to cover her green ankle-length dress; both grandma and mom wear shoes with heels).

The baby’s cries appear in neon-pink squiggles while Sophie’s words are in black-and-white letters. Sophie is shown drinking from her big girl cup while sitting in a high chair, riding on her scooter in the house, and pulling around a toy monster on wheels.

The illustrations are not humourous but the writing is funny at times, especially when the reader attempts to re-create Sophie’s nonsense language and whenever the baby’s name grows longer by one new name.
 


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