This was a really interesting look into having a baby and parenting. As someone who doesn't want to have kids, I found this really enjoyable to read. I learned a lot and I really enjoyed the humor throughout the book. I would recommend this to anyone! I think everyone knows a mother, this is a great insight into motherhood.

I loved this book! I think it is an authentic, relatable take on motherhood. I really enjoyed that it made commentary and had discussion about the whole process of starting a family from the EARLIEST parts, to include trying (and maybe struggling) to conceive and early feelings about pregnancy, to the latest parts, like having young children/toddlers, splitting responsibilities with a spouse, finding childcare, and learning and understanding more about your identity as a person v.s. as a mother. I teared up at several parts, and I really loved this as a short, somewhat playful, but also very meaningful take on starting a family! I think I will purchase this as a gift for some of my friends who perfectly fit this audience.

Overall I enjoyed the topics and themes of this book, especially the “you’re not the carefree woman I married” cartoon which I saw circulating on social media recently.

The authors style of illustration was not my cup of tea but it did help to get the story across.

I would recommend this as a light and enjoyable read to any mom.

Hello Fellow Readers,

Finck's book is not only extremely funny, but it's very relatable for me. In case you're wondering (Probably not) I am a mother to a toddler. That's what consumes my life right now. I didn't know that I needed to read (along with drawings) someone else to show me that they go through the same thing, it makes the loneliness of motherhood feel not so stifling. I really enjoyed the drawings in How to Baby, while not the most detailed it added to the ridiculousness and humor of it.

Finck talks about all things baby, from conception to birth, to the insane pressure society puts on women to fit into the mom bubble while praising fathers for the bare minimum (or to simplify 'The Double Standard). It's all done in a very tongue-in-cheek way. This book will make you laugh and nod a long while constantly thinking 'That's exactly how it feels'

Overall, a delightful book for mothers or future mothers (or people who maybe just want to laugh at motherhood?)

This is the kind of guide I needed when I was expecting. Even though this book is short and humorous, it covers all the relevant topics for people expecting a baby. Not only is there practical information, but there is a lot of great advice on how to deal with people around you and their attitudes. That's so important for new mothers, especially if they are feeling insecure.
I think the illustrations are hilarious, and I like the quick style. I would recommend this as a gift for your friends or for yourself, whether you want to learn about having a baby or if you just want to enjoy this very human look at parenthood.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Absolutely hilarious graphic memoir of early motherhood! I think this should be recommended to all expecting mothers right along with the other baby books, not as a guide but for its lighthearted tone and fun accounts of experiences many mothers will also become familiar with. The illustrations were hilarious and adorable.

I loved the art and the story in this book! It follows a woman's pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. She captures the humor in the situations while showing respect to the process. She is honest but not terrifyingly so. The author lets the reader know that all of it is hard and scary, but definitely worth it.
Wonderful book for new parents. The reader will feel that they are not alone in the world of baby.

Thanks Dial Press & Netgalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Available April 30th 2024.

Reading Liana Fink's "How to Baby" felt like someone was creating comics on my own life and thoughts. Fink captures the rollercoaster of emotions that is the first year(s) of motherhood with a graceful, comedic eye. I highly recommend this book for all new moms and those who may know them.

I liked the idea of this book but the art style just wasn't for me. I am sure this will be loved by many.

I have loved Finck's drawings for years and this book is no different. I had my second baby several months ago and wish I could have read this while pregnant. There are so many relatable bits where I exclaimed "yes!" Or "ugh!" And Finck is so funny! She does a wonderful job sharing her experiences and bestowing wisdom without taking herself too seriously.

I'm a fan of Liana Finck's work so I was excited to read this book. It did not disappoint. I'm a mother to three boys so there were a few things that was written that was relatable. I loved the drawings and appreciated that this was not a very serious parenting book. I loved the humor. This would be a great book to give as a gift.

Author Liana Finck has written and illustrated a rather tongue-in-cheek overview of conception, pregnancy, childbirth, and infancy - at least, I hope it's intended to be tongue-in-cheek. This wry and sometimes almost despondent narrative document her personal experiences with the process, using the style she developed as a cartoonist for the New Yorker, and will resonate with many parents, although others may consider it a bit too over-the-top. This is a realistic depiction, and yet there are times when it appears to be more parody than realistic, perhaps because so many similar volumes dwell more on the joy of parenthood and less on the reality depicted here, this would make a good gift for a baby shower, as long as the giver is sure the recipient will take the narrative as intended. Some readers will greatly enjoy this book; others may find it tasteless in its depiction of parenthood.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm the target audience for this as I'm currently pregnant. Very fun and interesting to read! I laughed out loud at least three times! Was kind of sad about the author's portrayal of men as caregivers. It isn't necessarily wrong, just sad. So grateful that I have a good community of helpers.

HOW TO BABY is a lovely addition to the genres of “realistic books about pregnancy and parenthood” and “stylized graphic memoir.” Author Liana Finck navigates the real experience of pregnancy and parenthood with flair and good humor, and does a wonderful job of presenting both the joy and bewilderment of these new experiences.

Fans of HYPERBOLE AND A HALF will find the drawing style, which is a form of stylized line drawing, familiar. The text is simple and goes by quickly. I did find myself feeling like I was going through the book quite quickly and wished we could sometimes linger on sections to explore more of the nuance in the conflicting feelings about pregnancy and parenthood that were elicited - some of the difficulties were quickly glossed for laughs, and I do think there is more to explore in a way that can be both funny and real (as a counterpoint, I think of Roz Chast’s CAN’T WE TALK ABOUT SOMETHING MORE PLEASANT and its discussion of the end of life).

Given the brevity and rapid survey that this book ultimately encompasses, I think of this more as a humorous gift book for expecting or new parents more than a detailed graphic memoir - but in this it was a charming quick read.

Absolutely hilarious and so relatable! Obviously everyone’s experience is different, but this sums up pregnancy/early parenthood so well. It would be the perfect gift to a parent on a baby’s first birthday. I’ve also never read an illustrated novel other than middle age graphic novels and I think I have a new favorite! Thank you for the early copy of this book, I can’t wait to tell all my friends!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I don't have kids or ever wanted kids so I wasn't the target audience for this book. But it looked like a funny book that I could still enjoy. And it was funny. The drawings are so bad but that makes the book more charming. This would be a fun gift for expectant mothers.

this is a hilarious and heartwarming illustration of pregnancy starting essentially from the first trimester to birth and everything beyond.

i do not have a child but my sister gave birth last month and so much of this is SPOT ON.

next friend to get pregnant is getting a copy of this book, forget the “what to expect when your expecting” a real life illustrated tale is the way to go!

(4/5 stars) This graphic novel was heartwarming, raw, hopeful, and real. A good read for any new mom that will make you laugh, probably make you cry (is that the hormones or something else?), and will make you appreciate every moment with your little one.