“Earkin-Hearkin/ Eyekin-Spykin/ Cheeky-Chucky/ Chin-chin-chin/ And down the hatch!” So goes the translation of a Yiddish rhyme in this delightful collection, which encourages parents and caregivers to interact with babies through songs and rhymes and brings the Mother Goose program to those who don’t have access to it. To this end, each rhyme includes instructions for actions (bouncing, clapping, finger-play) to accompany it.

One of the strengths of this book is its inclusion of the original text of rhymes in languages such as Hindi, Greek, Tamil, Chinese, and Inuktitut. Those languages that use other alphabets are given in their original form first, then transliterated before being finally translated. This allows the reader to appreciate the sounds and rhythms of the original rhyme, as well as the visual beauty of other scripts. Lottridge has done a fine job of crafting rhythmic and harmonious English versions of these rhymes; literal translations can be found at the back of the book for comparison.

Black-and-white photographs of babies with their caregivers reinforce the sense of happy play inherent in the rhymes themselves. The union of text, translation, and picture results in a book that celebrates the connections between young children and adults the world over.

It is thus very unfortunate that the book’s two-colour cover is flat and unappealing, no doubt partly because of budget. Some bright, jazzy graphics would have helped this book stand out against its competition. It would be a terrible shame if it got lost in the colour and chaos of children’s bookstores, because it is a wonderful collection. Parents and caregivers should seek it out.