When I first heard that there was a blogging book tour going on for Jennifer Margulis‘ book Why Babies Do That, I was interested in getting in on the fun because I thought it was a fascinating alternative for an author rather than going from store to store. I e-mailed her earlier this month to see if she was interested in a virtual stop on my blog and was thrilled that she was.

The book is really great for a number of reasons. For one thing, it’s not long. If there’s anything a new mother learns, it’s that all the parenting books in the world won’t help you if you can’t read it in five-minute bursts. A book that can be read after you run screaming for the bathroom, locking the door behind you for some illusion (delusion?) of privacy is what you need.

For another thing, the images alone can kill you. There will not be a third child in this family, I assure you, but some of the accompanying pictures are so incredibly sweet and endearing that your biological clock may just tick loudly in your head. The picture that goes with the question “Why Do Babies Cry Without Tears?” nearly made my ovaries explode. On the other hand, there’s also an appropriate picture to go along with “Why Do Newborn Babies Have Poop That is Mustard-Colored and Seedy Looking?” so it all evens out in the end.

Finally, the book is useful, unlike most of the parenting books out there. Basically, I think most parents do know that most of the things in this book are perfectly normal (even if they’re bizarre), but the book explains WHY. Even as a second-time-around parent, where it takes a bit more to phase me now, it’s nice to read the reasons behind a baby’s peculiar behavior. As a bonus, it’s a concise answer – each question and answer takes up one page for the most part, occasionally one and a half. There’s no need to read for three chapters to understand why your baby enjoys playing with her own poop, and when you’re sleep deprived, the abridged version is always preferable.

It’s a great book to buy as a baby shower gift but even mothers who have been there and done that will probably enjoy it just as much.

If there’s ever a second edition, say, Even More Why Babies Do That I hope that Ms. Margulis can answer a few more questions. Like, “Why Does My sweet Baby Try to Rip All My Hair Out Of My Scalp?” Or maybe “Why Is Her Only Goal In Life To Tear My Glasses Off My Face And Wing Them At The Ceiling Fan?” And I’d also like to know, “Why Did God Give Babies Fingernails That Are Sharp Enough To Destroy My Face But Too Thin To Cut Adequately?”

A great book overall!