So Much

This tale is told from the point of view of a sweet butterball of a boy about 18 months old, with red overalls and kissable little bare feet. This observant tyke notices how each relative plays with him in a different way. This is clearly a loving family: In every scene, someone has an arm draped around someone else's shoulders. The last picture -- Mom and Dad gazing at their sleeping boy -- is sweet without being saccharine.

Helen Oxenbury's gouache watercolors are painted in lovely deep shades of red, brown, maroon, purple, and orange. She brings each family member to life as an intriguing individual. The baby's pretty mom, wearing a short, elegant white dress and high heels, seems a shade quieter than the rest of her family.