Rating: 
Summary: Deserved the Caldecott Award and Many Others
Review:
Rathman, a well-known author/illustrator (i.e., Officer Buckle and Gloria, a Caldecott Medal winner, and Good Night Gorilla) has created an enchanting and irresistible rhyming tale here. A young boy becomes a hero by rescuing and eventually returning a gang of mischievous, runaway babies to their grateful parents. This unique storyline is beautifully brought to life in even more unique illustrations. The illustrations are almost completely done in silhouette. The entire landscape, the young hero, the adorable and troublesome babies, and all the butterflies, birds, frogs, and bats they encounter are all done in black silhouette. But wonderful, lively colors are introduced into the illustrations. All of the silhouettes are set against beautifully colored, wondrous skies. These amazing skies range from a beautiful, blue green sky with puffy white clouds in the beginning to a rainbow-colored, sunset sky to a stunning, purple night sky filled with lively white fireworks. Preschoolers are sure to enjoy the rhyming text and heroism of someone their own age and be captivated by probably unfamiliar artistic method of silhouette. This book is likely to inspire many to try this style themselves. Highly recommended for ages 3 to 10.
I'm shocked that this truly exceptional picture book did not win the Caldecott award in 2004(for the most distinquished American picture book published in the preceding year) or at least get picked as a Caldecott Honor Book (basically a "finalist"). I'm also surprised that there is no indication of other award it won or should have won. For example, it won the 2004 Northern California Book Award award in the Children's Literature category.
Rating:
Summary: The Book I Want to Read Every Night
Review: I have boy/girl twin 2 year olds and they each go through their phases of what their favorite book is. This book has been the most enduring favorite for them and me. It's nice to have a children's book that I never get tired of reading each day. It's visually stunning with only the sky having beautiful colors of morning, noon and twilight. The silhouette effect allows for an increase in imagination. I thought the subject matter would be too dark (missing children) but it's very clever with image subplots that are carried throughout the story (look for the baby that's always upside-down). I love Peggy Rathmann's books and this is my very favorite!
Rating:
Summary: The Book I Want to Read Every Night
Review: I have boy/girl twin 2 year olds and they each go through their phases of what their favorite book is. This book has been the most enduring favorite for them and me. It's nice to have a children's book that I never get tired of reading each day. It's visually stunning with only the sky having beautiful colors of morning, noon and twilight. The silhouette effect allows for an increase in imagination. I thought the subject matter would be too dark (missing children) but it's very clever with image subplots that are carried throughout the story (look for the baby that's always upside-down). I love Peggy Rathmann's books and this is my very favorite!
Rating:
Summary: Silhouette illustrations, great rhyme, cute story
Review: I love love this book. My boys and I checked it out at the library and we've read it four times a day since.
The illustrations are more silhouettes, really. The time of day shows in the wonderfully rich colors of the background. The babies and the hero kid are wonderfully edged; one of the babies pouts, later they're all crying (opened mouth and all), and it's all very detailed.
The adventure the children go on is detailed in a wonderful, fun-to-read rhyme. My older boy asks for this book specifically and especially likes to look for the upside down baby (even at home...).
The end is quieting and slow, just exactly perfect for getting your kid calmed down for bedtime.
It's a wonderful story by the same author who did Good Night Gorilla.
Get this for the new mom you know, for your grandkids, for your own kids. It's a great way to introduce reading to your children.
Rating:
Summary: Five stars for "Babies Away"!!
Review: I thought this book looked a little bit different. We have many, many books at our house, and something a little different sounded nice. My two year-old LOVES it. She calls it "Babies Away", and asks for it over and over. I think it is the rhyming that she likes most, and when my 7 year-old daughter reads it to her, she will read most of the page, and let my two year old yell out the last word, which of course she remembers since we read it so often..........LOL
We also like the way the pictures are done. My girls don't seem to have a problem with the fact that you don't see much detail...........as a matter of fact, I think it leaves more to the imagination.
This book gets a big thumbs up from me, as well as from my two year old............and I guess I should add that my 7 year-old really enjoys reading it to her little sister(:
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic!!
Review: I was so dissapointed after reading the 2 reviews on this book. The storyline could have been so unique. Instead the prose was made up of words chosen just to rhyme -in some cases, and not making much sense to a child. The babies were shown doing very cute antics, but I thought -as did my child - showing them as shadows, made it difficult to figure them out. It could have been such a darling book, with cute faces on the children, and the wording more appropriate.The idea was worth 5 stars, the content too dissapointing for more than 1.
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous illustration and a great read-aloud book
Review: My friend introduced me to this book after reading it to a group of day-care kids. But I was enchanted with the wonderful silhouette illustrations. They are absolutely beautiful, fanciful, and creative, and the children loved them.
This book reads very musically, but is not boring. It is a fun tale with a lovely happy, warm-fuzzy ending.
Highly recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Bedtime Story
Review: My kids are 1 and 2 1/2 and both love this story. My 1 year old daughter brings this book to me several times a day, she loves it so much. The illustrations are so beautiful. I like the shadows which leave a little more to the imagination. I'm certainly glad we bought it.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Tale of Heroism From Peggy Rathman
Review: One day, while the adults are distracted at a picnic, the babies crawl away. The only one who sees them leave is the hero of the story, a child in a fireman's hat. The babies crawl and the child chases. Eventually the babies are rounded up and returned to the parents and the hero gets a much deserved rest.While the tale is simple, the illustrations add a wonderful dimension to the story. The pictures are done in a silhouette style but with no lack of detail. We see the babies crawl, hide in trees, and other antics. My favorite is the baby with a bow who starts hanging upside down like the bats. In the final scene we see this baby and a parent both hanging from the rafters. A delightful book with detailed illustrations and fun rhymes. Kids learn that even little kids can be heroes. Check out all of Peggy Rathman's books.
Rating:
Summary: The Day the Babies Crawled Away
Review: The book is excellently written with a sing song poetic rhyme scheme to it. I liked the vocabulary and story line that my four year old could relate to. My child found all the mischief the babies got into hilarious, and he couldn't wait to see who rescued the babies in the end. Definitely a good buy.
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