My First Baby Signs: Over 40 Fundamental Signs for You and Your Baby

Baby-Toddler–Steyns and Seal introduce 40 simple signs that caregivers can use with babies and toddlers in their lives. After describing how “a few simple signs” with her colicky baby created “a complete shift in our days,” the author offers two sections, opening with “Top 10 Starter Signs’’ and followed by “Daily Signs.” A confident and guiding text helps caregivers and babies to learn together, grounding the use of signs in a familiar daily routine starting with “Milk,” “All Done,” and “Up” for being burped. Each sign has a full-page illustration, most often of a caregiver and baby lovingly engaging in the action described. Seal’s use of soft and bold contrasting colors creates welcoming vignettes of racially diverse caregivers, babies, and toddlers. The page also includes a black-and-white box in the corner, with written directions on how to make the sign accompanied by an illustration of a childlike figure demonstrating. The book’s back matter provides an index of the signs for easy reference, and the format creates an organized alternative to the popular flashcards.