Seven Babies

By Author / Illustrator

Forest Xiao (Author, Illustrator)

Genre

Baby & Toddler Books

Publisher

Walker Books

ISBN

9781529532807

Format

Paperback

Published

29-01-2026

Synopsis

Ever wondered what life would be like with seven babies? Wonder no longer! In this joyful and heartwarming debut picture book, Forest Xiao captures all the chaos, comedy and love that come with having a new baby in the family and then . . . multiplies it by SEVEN!

Follow seven busy babies as they crawl, dribble, cry, chew, explore, play and turn everyday life upside down in the most delightful ways. Perfect for sharing with babies, toddlers, this charming story celebrates family life, sibling relationships and the wonder of early childhood through Forest Xiao's bold, graphic illustrations and irresistible visual humour.

Packed with funny details and expressive characters, it's a book families will enjoy reading time again and again. - A PERFECT gift for 2-4-year-olds or for families expecting a new baby. A joyful celebration of babies, family life and the everyday adventures of early childhood, helping young children explore feelings about new siblings in a warm, funny and reassuring way.

Forest Xiao's clear, graphic illustrations make it easy for little ones to follow the action and spot details on every page, encouraging interaction, discussion and repeated reading as children identify favourite babies and follow them through the story.

The award-winning book that introduced readers to Forest Xiao's unforgettable cast of seven babies. Discover more happy, busy babies from Forest Xiao: Yummy Yummy How Many Babies?

Praise for Seven Babies: Seven Babies won the Klaus Flugge Prize 2026 and was shortlisted in the Picture Book category for the 2026 Indie Book Awards. 'A wonderfully joyful picture book for introducing children to the concept of having a sibling' - Waterstones. 'The babies' expressive round faces recall Helen Oxenbury 's drawings, but Xiao's art has a zingier colour palette and a wildness of its own. It's one of the cutest, and perhaps best, picture book portrayals of new parenthood that I've ever read' - The Observer. 'Xiao's delightful debut, exploring the everyday chaos that comes with having a baby in your life, has a similar look (and as much warmth) as Helen Oxenbury's A First Book for Babies series.' - The Bookseller

Reviews

Lizi

This is a very cute book! One day, a box of seven babies appears at the door! This simple picture book tracks what the babies enjoy doing before they get back in their box, ready for another adventure.

Seven Babies is a lovely book for very young children; the pictures are simple and engaging. The story is very simple and follows day to day life - young toddlers will be able to relate and comment on things in the pictures and there's lots of opportunities for discussing what the babies are up to on every page.

Our favourite double page is the page where the babies are making themselves at home, my children both loved looking at what they're all doing . . . eating the rug, trying to get the fish out of the bowl and so on!

This book is also great for the opportunity to count as you can count the seven babies on every page. It would be a nice addition to nursery rooms and is short enough to be one you could read to babies or preschoolers.

Picture book / Reviewed by Lizi Backhouse, teacher