▪	RELEASED BY:		VIZ MEDIA
		▪	AUTHOR / ART:		MARIMO RAGAWA
		▪	FORMAT:		JAPANESE / B&W
		▪	PAGES:		192
		▪	RATING:		T
		▪	RELEASE DATE:		05/01/2007
		▪	REVIEW DATE:		09/29/2007
		▪	REVIEWED BY:		KATTIE GALLANT

Takuya and Minoru return to warm our hearts in this latest instalment of BABY AND ME.  To start with, a summer festival teaches Takuya the importance of having a budget.  Then, Minoru finds adventure in a fairy-tale land that brings up memories of their mother.  Finally, a kind elderly man in the park shows them how love can conquer anything.

Ever since his mother passed away, Takuya Enoki has been taking care of his little brother Minoru when their father works late.  Other characters who participate in this volumes adventures are Akihiro Fujii, Takuya’s friend and third oldest of six siblings, who is always left to deal with his little brother and sister, Ma-Bo and Ichika.  Then there is Gon, another of Takuya’s friends who would rather make his little sister cry than share his candy apple.  Finally, there is a kind old man they encounter in the park.  Perhaps it is the combination of the various personalities in these characters that hold them together, with their weaknesses complementing their collective strengths as each story develops. 

In the volume’s five new stories, Takuya and Minoru grow ever closer as their father works late, and they all discover the importance of cherishing your family during hard times.  Runaway children, a princess who needs to be saved, a love triangle, a moon cactus, and a late night horror movie make this book a hard one to put down until you reach the end.

Some examples of how poignant this book can be starts off when Takuya and Minoru meet up with Akihiro, Ichika, and Ma-Bo at the summer festival.  The group enjoys shaved ice and riverside fireworks.  However, hierarchy among siblings is showed at its worst at a mask stand, and Ichika has finally had enough.  When the little ones go missing, it’s up to Takuya to find them before someone else does.  Then, Minoru gets a chance to be a hero, and proves that even the small ones can make a difference.  An old man in the park with a surprising home life touches Takuya’s heart where it matters, and a plant may hold the key to the man’s loneliness.  An under-appreciative child shows Takuya how to properly treat your elders.  Gon’s affections for a classmate may ruin his friendship with Takuya if they are not careful, and a scary movie may prove to be too much for Minoru to handle.  Using his own childhood as a reference, Takuya teaches Minoru how to sleep when you’re scared, and that everything may not be as it seems, in terms of monsters and ghosts.

BABY AND ME Volume 4 stays true to the books before it, with its soft images and a broad range of emotions that anyone around kids would recognise.  The translation is cute and a bonus story at the back of the book shows the artist has the ability to write about love from a different angle.  The drawings in both the main story and the bonus chapter are simple and focus the readers’ attention to the innocence of the characters.  This works so well within the context of the story, as we are reminded of our own childhood and that seemingly careless lifestyle.  One can learn a lot about life and friendship from Takuya’s adventures.  As well, the editors’ notes provide comic relief at the most serious of moments.

EXTRA:
Among the features in the book are ads for other Viz Media releases.

IN SUMMARY:
A single father.  Two young sons.  One tight budget.  This is a winning combination for Marimo Ragawa as she continues to set Takuya up for trouble and adventure.  A heart-warming tale full of brotherly love, depicted in simple drawings that veer away from overly detailed and busy pages.  A recommended read for even the most emotionless reader, guaranteed to bring a smile to any face.