Baa Haa, by Audrey Perrott/Illustrated by Ross Burach, (March 2025, Scholastic Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781546134039
Ages 4-8
Babette is a sheep who loves to laugh: so much that her friends have nicknamed her “Baa Haa”. But while it looks like Babette finds everything funny, she’s really covering up some big feelings, and it’s giving her a bellyache. Her friends discover her crying one day and gently let her know that “It’s okay if you’re not okay”, and that they love her for who she is. Filled with fun sheepy puns, Baa Haa examines anxiety and stress and the pressure many of us feel to cover up those feelings, whether it’s to make others feel better or to laugh off our own worries. Babette feels better after her friends support her and bolster her, and the image of the tightly wound ball of yarn in her belly immediately unravels, forming words like “icky”, “sad”, and “grumbly” – and isn’t that the best description of how it feels to embrace one’s true self? Pencil, crayon, and paint illustrations give a hand-drawn feeling to the story and the details are incredible; readers will love seeing Milton (from 2024’s Moo Hoo!) reading a copy of CosMOOpolitan Magazine, or a coffee mug in the principal’s office – Principal Lily Pad – that says, “Coffee makes me hoppy“. Baa Haa delivers a feast for the eyes and a supportive message for young readers. Download free activity sheets for a storytime extension.
Mom Read It 