Baby Dunks-a-Lot

July 8, 2024
A tiny tot exhibits slam-dunk prowess in this lean basketball narrative by Tatum and Apple. Taught to shoot hoops in his own backyard, diaper-clad Baby Dunks-a-Lot, portrayed with brown skin, catches the attention of the Ballers, a basketball team in need of dunking talent. As the little one joins up, Gordon’s digital illustrations show the young player misinterpreting basketball lingo (“pick-and-roll” results in nose-picking and floor-rolling), belting “Baby Shark” on the bus, and trying to keep his pacifier in his mouth. As he takes the court in the championship game despite his parents’ late-breaking concern (“We don’t think a baby is ready to be a professional basketball player”), his loved ones rally behind him, celebrating his achievements. It’s a sportsball send-up poised to remind readers of young collaborators’ ample strengths. Secondary characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 4–8.

June 15, 2024
NBA All-Star Tatum and co-author Apple follow a talented baby unmatched in his dunking ability--as long as he can pause for naptime. Baby Dunks-a-Lot's origin story is a simple one: Punk kids refuse to let him play basketball, but his loving family teaches him to shoot hoops. And what else would you call a dunking baby who develops a devoted following? The attention leads rather quickly to Baby D signing with the Ballers, alongside a supportive player who appears to be co-author Tatum. Baby D charms his teammates and the league as surely as he'll charm readers; he helps bring the Ballers all the way to the championship game with his savvy pint-sized play. But lost pacifiers, missed bedtimes, and mid-game teething take a toll on the star baby player, and eventually his family expresses doubts about the appropriateness of pro sports for a baby. The championship is on the line, however, and a baby's got to do what a baby's got to do. Goofy digital illustrations of Baby D picking his nose and rolling around the court--"I think he [misunderstands] the pick-and-roll"--are paired with comic book-like speech bubbles, making for a delightful read. Sports fans will enjoy fun references ("There's no biting in basketball!") and cameos from famous ballers such as Steph Curry and LeBron James. Baby Dunks-a-Lot and his family are Black. Silly and sporty in equal measure. (Picture book. 3-7)

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August 16, 2024

PreS-Gr 3-"All the kids loved going to the basketball court after school," but no one expects to discover that "BABY COULD DUNK!" Naturally, a dunking baby is a huge draw, and so the baby decides to try his luck as a member of the Ballers-wearing Celtics green, of course. Now called Baby Dunks-a-Lot, he has an arsenal of moves, including rolling around on the court, falling asleep before the game ends, and making them all sing "Baby Shark." Despite Baby Dunks-a-Lot's antics, the team enjoys their winning record, and with the help of a teammate (author/star Celtic Jayson Tatum, wearing his jersey #0, whose many appearances in illustrations suggest he's Baby Dunks-a-Lot's biggest fan), the championship is theirs. The colorful digitally created illustrations are expressive, effectively capturing the characters' joy or dismay, depending on which team they're on; these also show a diverse group of basketball fans enjoying the game. The fun and ridiculous premise carries a story that is sure to bring a smile to babies and sports fans alike, even if they don't root for the Celtics. VERDICT Easily recommended for basketball shelves, especially in Boston libraries.-Rebecca Kirshenbaum

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