In every family, we all know who is really the boss

The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee is a book about a baby who is, as you can probably guess, the boss of the household. The genius in this book is that the baby does nothing other than what a normal baby does. It all begins with “the moment the baby arrived.” He immediately puts his employees, his parents, on a non-stop schedule which does not allot for any sick days or vacations. Like any good businessman, any time that his orders are not obeyed, he screams and throws a fit. He continuously conducts meetings, whether they are in his crib, the kitchen table, on the changing table, or in the middle of the night. Despite the fact that he cannot utter one intelligible word, his employees continue to get the job done. In the end, when his “usual demands were not getting their usual results,” he is forced to change tactics in order to achieve a desirable resolution. According the Frazee, the characters originally including some part-time employees (the neighbors), and one scene where the baby fired the dog. The cast was cut down to just the boss and the parents; hopefully one day Frazee will reveal to us the other pages that almost made it into the book.


This text would not be able to function without the illustrations Marla Frazee draws. Honestly, this book had me at the onesie business suit, complete with tie. The illustrations give life to the text. When the boss talks about the perks of his job, including the “executive gym” and the “private jet” one cannot help but laugh as one sees a different interpretation of these everyday baby toys. The image of his private jet had me close to tears. The boss has all the drinks he wants, day or night, and the accompanying illustration will make adults laugh as the baby holds out an empty bottle and raises his finger for “one more.” Marla Frazee illustrated the book herself, and I love how she explained illustrations in children’s books in an interview she did before the book came out. She says that when children look at illustrations, “no one has to teach them to do it—it’s not like teaching a child to sound out words. They take it in and appreciate it on their own.” Frazee recognizes the importance of the illustrations to a book, something which contributed to her winning two back-to-back Caldecott medals.

I am still a little confused about the intended audience of this book. I know adults will love it, especially ones who have had children and can relate to the demands of their “boss.” I just wonder whether or not children will be able to grasp the subtleties that lay within the text. If a student is an only child, he may not understand any of the references if he has not had any experience with babies. On the other hand, someone who has recently become a big brother or a big sister may understand this book entirely too well. I do believe this is a fun read-aloud, but this is definitely a book where someone needs to know their audience before reading it.

If you loved this book, which I am 100% sure you did, check out some of Marla Frazee’s other award-winning books, including:

• All the World—Written by Liz Garton Scanlon and illustrated by Marla Frazee. Won the Caldecott Award.

• Rollercoaster


• Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever


• Hush Little Baby: A Folk Song With Pictures