The Baby

Reviewed by: Phyllis Fuchs - Curtis Memorial Library, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 8, 2017

Review

The jacket cover describes the book as a "bittersweet drama about friends and family" but simply given its title and that jacket cover, young adult readers, especially girls, will be drawn to this debut novel written by a British author. It is a short read of five chapters, each chapter given the name of one of the five main characters and the name of the month. The stunning opening chapter, Olivia February, describes Olivia's parents leaving the start of their 17 year old daughter's birthday party, the alcohol, smoking and sex at those festivities, and a baby's unexpected birth which ends the party. Four months and four chapters later, the situation is not completely resolved, that was a life-changing party, but the original friends remain friends and the book ends with them enjoying still another birthday party to which the departing "mum" has contributed drinks. However, some of the adults in the story are extremely helpful, a grandmother too, the baby is thriving, and readers receive a serious consideration of the time, money, planning, and good care all infants require. The Baby is definitely not destined to be a shelf sitter and it is recommended to senior high aged readers.

Overall Book Score: good