#539 of 1001 · January 21, 2022

In the warm and whimsical Zilla Sasparilla and the Mud Baby, Judith Gorog and Amanda Harvey use a dash of magical realism to explore the ins and outs of parenthood. It has been raining all week by the Little Muddy River. While walking home along the river bank, Zilla Sasparilla gets her foot stuck in the mud. She reaches in to retrieve her shoe and pulls out a baby. On the advice of her Granny Vi, she bathes the mud baby, first in milk, then in water. She names him Cinnamon and raises him as her own son. As the boy grows up and becomes more independent, Zilla remains plagued by the fear that he will one day wash away in the Little Muddy River. Determined to protect her child, she plans to move house. But, when Zilla herself accidentally falls into the river, Cinnamon bravely dives in to rescue her—dispelling his mother’s fears once and for all. Gorog’s inviting and lightly humorous narrative peers through an oddball lens at the joys and fears of raising a baby. Harvey’s cheery watercolor and pencil illustrations convey a pleasingly humanistic spirit. #mud #baby #family #love #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbook #beautifulbooks #beautifulbookcover #beautifulbookcovers #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks