How Do You Make a Baby?

K-Gr 4–Fiske combines frank, straightforward text with cartoon-style illustrations to explain to children where babies come from. This nonfiction book details each step of the process, from conception to birth. The text begins with the statement, “Making a baby begins with love. There are many kinds of love.” The illustrations depict how couples express their love by having sex. In the next spread, the text asks the reader to identify which couples in an array of illustrations are having sex. There is information on the science of conception; multiple illustrations show sperm competing to fertilize an egg. The uncertain time line for successful fertilization and the possibility of turning to in-vitro fertilization are included. Gestation is covered from a biological standpoint and through humorous depictions of women in various stages of pregnancy, from morning sickness to the ninth month of pregnancy. The anticipation and joy of birth are evoked and accompanied by artwork and text that provide medical details. One spread shows the doctor cutting the umbilical cord. A drawing on the right side of the page shows the doctor holding the placenta. The couples and their babies are racially diverse, and same-sex couples are represented. Fiske concludes that a new baby is “the most brilliant and beautiful” miracle.