Scaredy Bath by Zoë Foster Blake

Abstract

Reviewed by: Scaredy Bath by Zoë Foster Blake Adam McConville Blake, Zoë Foster Scaredy Bath; illus. by Daniel Gray-Barnett. Penguin Workshop, 2022 [32p] Trade ed. ISBN 9780593520635 $9.99 E-book ed. ISBN 9780593522233 $9.99 Reviewed from digital galleys Ad 4-6 yrs Bath time is no fun for Scaredy Bath, a yellow clawfoot tub that spends its days dreading the nightly return of two messy siblings in need of a wash. The children are enthusiastic to get clean but oblivious to poor Scaredy Bath’s distress, and Scaredy Bath can’t run from their antics or the big shaggy dog coaxed in for a scrub. The sink and toilet offer some practical advice, though, and an after extended break from bath time while the kids are on vacation, Scaredy Bath resolves to enjoy its job, even when the new baby, *ahem*, lets loose during its first bath. Viewers have seen the strange world of anthropomorphized household fixtures before, most recently in I’m Terrified of Bath Time (BCCB 4/22), but this Australian import doesn’t hit the same oddball mix of humor and horror as that title. The third-person narration [End Page 114] keeps readers distant from Scaredy Bath’s emotional turmoil, and the simple resolution to the narrative—essentially being told to grin and bear it—lacks the punch needed to sell the premise. There’s still fun to be had in Gray-Barnett’s illustrations, which use inky washes and lines coupled with crayon-like texturing to evoke an appropriately childish tone. Scaredy Bath’s expressions of worry and fear contrast well with the abject glee of two energetic kids excited to splash about and with the patient, if tired, smiles of their adult caregiver. This might be a lukewarm pick, but the fun visuals and ample potty humor will get a laugh from kiddos who enjoy their baths . . . and have learned to do their business beforehand. Copyright © 2022 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois