l to r: Charlie Demers and Dorothy Leung.

Some books for babies have plots, some teach concepts, and others exist solely to express how much caregivers love their little ones. Vancouver-based comedian Charles Demers’s picture book debut, I Sure Do, is a poetic, original addition to the latter category.

I Sure Do is no plain language declaration of affection. It opens with the lines: “I sure do love you / Yes, I adore you / And I a window / And I a floor you.” Some additional punctuation for clarity notwithstanding (“a-window” and “a-floor” would have been helpful read-aloud cues), the word choice is playful and zesty, with Demers deftly capturing the singsong, lyrical nonsense that caregivers instinctively babble to their little ones. 

This type of speech is tricky to express in print, and some lines may require a reread to understand the meaning and cadence; even when clearly set beside an illustration of animal stuffies, lines like, “I snuggle, squeeze / And hug and smooch you / Then fish, cat, bird / And mouse and pooch you,” don’t easily roll off the tongue on the first try. But some initial clumsiness aside, reading this book aloud is invigorating and fun.

Illustration: Dorothy Leung.

Demers also keeps his poetic allusions rooted in a baby’s small world. References to alphabet and number noodles, kitchen cupboards, and a clock are also all prominently featured in Toronto illustrator Dorothy Leung’s (The Keeper of Stars) vibrant, cozy spreads. Leung’s illustrations realistically portray the flurry of activity that a new addition brings to a household. The kitchen and bathroom are a mess and the baby in this book, like most, will be seen and heard as Leung consistently draws the child with a wide, open mouth. Inventive perspectives aptly capture the constant motion of early toddlerhood with close-ups, aerial shots, and some surprising points of view, such as one that makes the reader feel like they are inside the crib with the child. 

It is refreshing to read a baby book that takes some linguistic risks, and I Sure Do is bound to be a delight for the tiniest listeners while demanding some mental muscle from the grown-up reader.