It's Hard to Be a Baby

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

by Cheryl B. Klein Illustratedby Juana Medina

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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

by Cheryl B. Klein Illustrated by Juana Medina

Abrams Books for Young Readers

New York

Hey there, babies.

I hear you.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

Everyone thinks your lives are easy. When you’re hungry, people feed you.

When you’re sleepy, they love to hold you.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

When you cry, they want to calm you— they’ll do anything to make you happy!

It sounds great, but you and I know the truth . . .

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

It’s hard to be a baby!

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

After all, not long ago, you lived in rooms that were just your size.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

It was warm and dark and quiet. You didn’t think about diapers or grown-ups.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

You just kicked your feet!

Turned somersaults! Partied! And you got to be naked, which is the best!

Then suddenly, you had to leave!

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You don’t know why.

(They still haven’t told you.)

This new place was cold and bright and LOUD. Everything felt heavy, and they wrapped you up tight.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

It’s gotten a little better, but I see why you complain.

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You have to work hard for your food now, and some of it always comes back up.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

You have to tell these people everything.

When you’re hot.

When you’re hungry. This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

When you’re wet.

When it’s noisy.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

But even if you speak to them nicely, they don’t always get what you need.

They’re always picking you up and putting you down, picking you up and putting you down. You’re passed around, patted, pushed, pulled, and poked, with no say in any of it!

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

PROVIDENCE

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This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

And some of your clothes are really goofy.

But hang in there, babies.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

Good things are coming.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

Soon you’ll find your hands, and they’re tasty. Your feet too!

You’ll smile and laugh and talk to us, and we know you’ll have a lot to say.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

You’ll sleep through the night, and all of us will be happier— especially the grown-ups.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

Try it and see!

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You’ll eat carrots and curries, sweet potatoes and prunes.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

It’s tricky to start, but it gets better.

Everything does.

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You’ll sit up

and then crawl,

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walk and then run!

stand and then cruise,

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

And pretty soon, you’ll grow up to be big kids . . .

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. . . just like me!

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

The illustrations in this book were made using Procreate, while looking at endlessly cute pictures of babies, which often sidetracked the illustrator.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data has been applied for and may be obtained from the Library of Congress.

ISBN 978-1-4197-6733-3

Book design by Andrea Miller and Natalie Padberg Bartoo

Published in 2024 by Abrams Books for Young Readers, an imprint of ABRAMS. All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.

Printed and bound in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Abrams Books for Young Readers are available at special discounts when purchased in quantity for premiums and promotions as well as fundraising or educational use. Special editions can also be created to specification. For details, contact specialsales@abramsbooks.com or the address below.

Abrams® is a registered trademark of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

For Dash again, for everything we learned together; and for Rachel and Luisamaria, who got me through it.

—C.B.K.

To all NICU nurses, especially those at Children’s Medical Center Dallas, and to neonatologists

Dr. Anna M. August and Dr. Tala R. Nasr, with gratitude and admiration. —J.M.

This is an advance, uncorrected proof. Not for resale, duplication, or reposting. Please do not quote without comparison to the finished book.

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