By Cyrisse Jaffee

This trio of preschool books celebrates new babies, new siblings — and cat lovers.

These Little Feet by Hayley Rawsthorne and Briony Stewart. Marble Press, 2023. First US edition 2025.

Hazel the Handful by Jamie Michalak. Illustrated by Matt Myers. Candlewick, 2025.

A Cat Like That by Lester L. Laminack. Illustrations by Nicole Wong. Peachtree Books, 2025.

Originally published in Australia, These Little Feet is a lovely addition to the baby round-up books, filled with lots of adorable babies and loving adults. The refrain “these little…” introduces each new baby and their grown-up — little feet (“so tiny and new”), hands (“so precious and sweet”), eyes (“so watchful and bright”),  ears (“so tender and dear”), and so on. The grown-ups and the babies are diverse, including a mom with glasses, a baby who wears a device to help him breathe, and a dad with stubble.

In each scenario, the grown-up sings their baby’s praises and wonders what the future will hold. What mountains will they climb? What snowflakes will they catch? What noises will they fear? What songs will they love or what treats will they eat? These are the questions every parent ponders, as they cuddle and raise their child. The end contains snapshots of all of the families and the suggestion that each baby is connected to the one who came before them.

The simple rhyming text and the little vignettes make this an ideal new parent gift. It could also be a nice addition in a daycare setting, to launch a conversation about how kids and families are different, yet the same.

Hazel, on the other hand, in Hazel the Handful, isn’t so thrilled with a new little baby. Hazel, a privileged little dog who belongs to Bea and her family, is quite annoyed that people call the baby “cutie patootie” instead of her. Nana brings gifts for the baby, not Hazel. The baby throws Bea’s toys.

Hazel worries that even her beloved Bea doesn’t love her anymore. But when Hazel hides under her blanket and the family can’t find her, she realizes that she is still an important member of the family. And she even finds it in her heart to make peace with the baby.

Hazel is indeed a handful (but lovable, too) and readers — especially those dealing with a new sibling — will sympathize with her feelings of irritation and of being left out. The cartoonish illustrations add more humor to the narrative. The warmth of Bea’s African-American family is unmistakable, and the happy ending is satisfying and silly.

Even a lap-sitting baby might like to turn the pages of A Cat Like That. There’s hardly any text and the pages are filled with lovely, full-color illustrations with lots of details. We follow a big, round black-and-white cat as it goes about its day. It “strolls from door to door” and takes time “to explore.” It goes past a firehouse, walks along the pier, watches people fishing, and finally waits patiently for a little girl when school is over.

Nothing dramatic happens, which suits the lazy pace of the narrative and helps keep the focus on the pictures. The book is dedicated to “Oracats (Oracats.org), who care for the cats on Ocracoke Island, NC.” One can almost sense the island breezes blowing as the cat zigzags through the village. This is another nice choice for new parents (or for those who love watching cat videos on social media).

Cyrisse Jaffee is a former children’s and YA librarian, children’s book editor, and a creator of educational materials for WGBH. She holds a master’s degree in Library Science from Simmons College and lives in Newton, MA.