The Night You Were Born - Hardcover

WENDY MCCORMICK's previous book for children is DADDY, WILL YOU MISS ME? She received a degree in Secondary Education from the University of Wisconsin and currently works in an administrative position at the University of Minnesota. She lives in Minnesota with her family and their West Highland Terrier. SOPHY WILLIAMS is a highly acclaimed illustrator whose picture books for children include WHEN GRANDMA CAME, which was shortlisted for the Mother Goose Award in 1990. Williams lives in Wiltshire, England with her family.

Soft pastels that glow with soothing tones set the stage for this reassuring tale of a boy who, together with his aunt, awaits the arrival of his new sibling. "Will Mommy and Daddy remember me... waiting here all night long?" Jamie asks. His aunt promises him that they will. After tucking him into bed, she relates how she waited for his arrival, and when his mother calls with news of a baby sister, the two celebrate with a song, just as Jamie's aunt and uncle did on the day he arrived. McCormick (Daddy, Will You Miss Me?) conveys the fond interaction between nephew and aunt, and offers descriptions that evoke safety and security (e.g., the aunt and uncle, as they traveled to await Jamie's birth, drove through fog as "thick as a nest of furry rabbits"). Williams (When Grandma Came), too, underscores this mood: on the half-title page, the boy pushes his red toy car across the green sweater covering his mother's full belly, and on the title page, his parentsDfrom inside their red car on a hilltopDwave to Jamie and his aunt; thus the artist visually establishes a connection between the boy and his absent parents. Altogether comforting, this picture book is a strong choice for sharing with any child whose family is expecting a new addition. Ages 3-7. (Oct.)
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