an invitation to literature

This year, 2025, marks the 100th anniversary of one of the great books of American literature, The Great Gatsby. The classic from F. Scott Fitzgerald is about love and friendship, the way that wealth can shatter a person, and the devastation of learning the consequences of your own actions. Most people had to read it at some point in school, and while the full impact of the story may not have registered for the teenager who had to read it, reading it later in life illuminates and underlines the choices that make a life.

A novel like this is probably not what you’d pick to read to your baby, as the themes are pretty complex. But the BabyLit version is perfect to read to a baby. This version focuses on the lavish parties that Jay Gatsby would throw, and the illustrations reflect those sophisticated Art Deco designs that bring the 1920s back. There are pages that celebrate the invitations, the venue, the attire, the transportation, the decorations, the refreshments, the music, and the dancing. There is even a page about the clean-up the day after. The stylish illustrations are paired with short quotations from the book that introduce very young readers to the language of the classic novel in short bursts.

When I first heard that there was a version of The Great Gatsby in a board book for babies, I wondered just how they pulled that off. Gatsby is cultured and mature, with themes that are far beyond what you would want to teach a baby. But author Jennifer Adams found a way to celebrate the parties that feature in the novel while keeping it age appropriate. And illustrator Alison Oliver has created beautiful art that celebrates the quotes from the book, reflecting the party theme and the stylish decade the story takes place.

Purists may point out that the major themes of the novel are lost in this white-washed version, but if you are a big fan of Fitzgerald and want to introduce the world of Jay Gatsby to your baby or grandbaby, then this is the most innocent way to do that. I think this is a beautiful book and not an easy one to make baby-friendly. But these women pull it off with style and intelligence.

Egalleys for The Great Gatsby: A BabyLit Party Primer were provided by Gibbs Smith through Edelweiss, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.