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Honey Baby Sugar Child
A mother expresses her everlasting love for her child in this warm, poetic picture book. Alice Faye Duncan's playful, affectionate text and Susan Keeter's tender paintings will touch your heart and soul.
I'm gone always be yo sweet Ma'Dear, and you gone always be my baby.
I'm gone always be yo sweet Ma'Dear, and you gone always be my baby.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 6, 2005
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 17, 2021
Illustrations from the heart, words from the soul. This book is in a voice that will be healing to so many young hearts.
September 7, 2010
A honey of a book. Seriously. Written in African-American dialect, this book reminds me of the people I grew up around, people whose company I so thoroughly enjoyed, and still do. It is also a wonderful "cuddle" book for me and my young son. I think it will enjoy the same success as "Good Night, Moon", "Mama, Do You Love Me?", and "On Mother's Lap".
March 30, 2018
Representation!!
So sweet to read to my little boy with his similar smile, and show him pictures of this mama with her loc'ed/braided hair that is similar to mine, in vernacular that we use.
Beautiful.
So sweet to read to my little boy with his similar smile, and show him pictures of this mama with her loc'ed/braided hair that is similar to mine, in vernacular that we use.
Beautiful.
September 28, 2011
Cutest book. I love the illustrations and the bond between the mother and her child. Great, quick read before tucking your child in for the night. Please share with the children in your life.
February 3, 2020
This book is written using some words and linguistic features from AAVE. The illustrations draw you in with how perfectly they seem to be painted, the sentences are short and do not have any large words within them so younger children are able to understand it or new language learners. The book also discusses a mother’s love for her child and the bond they share and I feel that is an amazing message to have within a book.
July 27, 2017
beautiful!
January 11, 2019
Diverse
Showcases beauty and power of African American English; warm, loving, great illustrations
Showcases beauty and power of African American English; warm, loving, great illustrations
June 22, 2019
Leila: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️: in the story, that she called him a honey baby sugar child
February 3, 2020
2/2/2020 ~ A timeless depiction of the joy and love between a mother and baby. It will melt your heart.
November 19, 2020
Sweet and simple
March 22, 2021
4.5 stars.
July 7, 2025
4 stars
This is a beautiful celebration of the love between a mother and child.
This is a beautiful celebration of the love between a mother and child.
September 10, 2025
my mom would read this to me as a baby i loved/love this book and i still have it. i hope to read this to my children, nieces, and nephews. 10/10 book makes me feel filled with joy!
April 22, 2008
Warm book which exudes feelings of love and tenderness through both the language and illustrations. It reads like a poem, but has simple enough language that would be easy for children learning to read. Yet the language is not "traditional" English, but rather representative of an African American style. The illustrations depicting a mother and her son are lush and vibrant and ooze love and intimacy. Great for preschool and early readers.
CIP pending.
From SLJ:
"Rhythmic, somewhat dialectal prose combines with Keeter's warm and expressive oil paintings to convey a sense of song and motion across the pages of this simple book. Heartwarming scenes of an African-American mother and child cuddling, playing, dancing, and napping together are sure to evoke powerful feelings of love, nurturing, and security in both parent and child."
From Kirkus:
"A mother and her son fill these pages, usually in tight close-up, while the mom cuddles her little one, feeds him, takes him out to run in the grass and play patty-cake....
This paean to maternal heart's delight is couched in lilting language with a touch of black or Southern intonation, excellent for reading aloud and rocking along."
CIP pending.
From SLJ:
"Rhythmic, somewhat dialectal prose combines with Keeter's warm and expressive oil paintings to convey a sense of song and motion across the pages of this simple book. Heartwarming scenes of an African-American mother and child cuddling, playing, dancing, and napping together are sure to evoke powerful feelings of love, nurturing, and security in both parent and child."
From Kirkus:
"A mother and her son fill these pages, usually in tight close-up, while the mom cuddles her little one, feeds him, takes him out to run in the grass and play patty-cake....
This paean to maternal heart's delight is couched in lilting language with a touch of black or Southern intonation, excellent for reading aloud and rocking along."
February 22, 2016
This book reminds me of the book Love You Forever, except this one is the African American version. It is about a mom telling her child how much she loves him through all his different qualities.
I liked this book, but it was a very low reading level and too simple for elementary kids. It might be a good book for preschool students though. It did not have much of a plot line which is fine for younger kids but I would not read this book to a higher age group.
If I were to use this in my classroom I could for sure use it during Black History month. It would be good for that because it isn't a history story about Black History month, its just a story just like every other book
I liked this book, but it was a very low reading level and too simple for elementary kids. It might be a good book for preschool students though. It did not have much of a plot line which is fine for younger kids but I would not read this book to a higher age group.
If I were to use this in my classroom I could for sure use it during Black History month. It would be good for that because it isn't a history story about Black History month, its just a story just like every other book
March 31, 2016
This was a really sweet book. The book is a very easy read with small amounts of text, in large font on each page. The story is about a mom talking to her baby about how much she loves him and what he means to her. It goes through all of the happy, wonderful feelings she has because of him. Like i said the book is super sweet and has a great story. The art work is really great as well. This would be a good book for teachers to use on mothers day, or any other family related occasion.
December 18, 2013
This is one of very few books written in AAVE, and it is a sweet book with a great, straightforward (and relevant for read aloud books, short!) text and really fantastic oil paintings of a mother and her son. I think my favorite image is actually where the mom isn't holding her baby, but dancing near him with the joy of having him.
January 10, 2009
Sweet little bedtime-love letter to a child. African American characters and dialect. So sweet it makes you want to get some sugar from your own child.
September 29, 2009
When I saw this on the library shelf, it made me think about my youngest daughter and all the pet names we have for her. I loved this book!
June 14, 2012
A requested the book a few times. I couldn't find the right rhythm. It's a sweet book though.
June 14, 2013
This was interesting to read aloud. I found myself taking on a different accent to go with the dialect.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews