A lyrical, beautifully illustrated poem about a baby’s birth.
In this lyrical poem, author John Sobol brings us his imagined vision of a universal experience, that of being born. As she is born, the baby in this story goes through a time of intense movement and change before she takes her first breath and cries. Warm hands wrap her in a blanket, and she is held in loving arms. She has arrived!
Sobol captures the mystery and wonder of the birth experience in this deeply sympathetic tale. Reading this book together will enable children and their parents to celebrate the joy and emotional power of that remarkable moment.
Cindy Derby’s soft, gentle illustrations beautifully complement the poem.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)
A lyrical, beautifully illustrated poem about a baby’s birth.
In this lyrical poem, author John Sobol brings us his imagined vision of a universal experience, that of being born. As she is born, the baby in this story goes through a time of intense movement and change before she takes her first breath and cries. Warm hands wrap her in a blanket, and she is held in loving arms. She has arrived!
Sobol captures the mystery and wonder of the birth experience in this deeply sympathetic tale. Reading this book together will enable children and their parents to celebrate the joy and emotional power of that remarkable moment.
Cindy Derby’s soft, gentle illustrations beautifully complement the poem.
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7
Explain how specific aspects of a text's illustrations contribute to what is conveyed by the words in a story (e.g., create mood, emphasize aspects of a character or setting)
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — May 1, 2020 |
| Specifications | 24 pages | 9.25 in x 9.25 in |
| Keywords | birth experience; mother and child; new life; non-rhyming poetry; children and parents; baby; respect for self; figurative language; metaphors; imagery; onomatopoeia; poetic language; connecting; inferring; Common Core Aligned; CC Literature Key Ideas and Details; CC Literature Craft and Structure; kindergarten; grade 1; picture book; poetry; watercolor illustrations; |
| Written By |
JOHN SOBOL is an author, musician and poet who has performed at festivals and clubs in a dozen countries. His first picture book, Friend or Foe (illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova), was described in Brain Pickings as “a charming modern-day fable.” He has toured an acclaimed one-man show called Two Million Years of Technology, and he has written many popular TV shows for children, including Pippi Longstocking and Under the Umbrella Tree. John is a father and a feminist. He lives in Ottawa. |
| Illustrated by |
CINDY DERBY is an author, illustrator and puppeteer. Her illustrations for Outside In by Deborah Underwood received a Caldecott Honor and a Golden Kite Honor. She has written and illustrated the highly acclaimed picture books Blurp’s Book of Manners, Two Many Birds (Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year) and How to Walk an Ant. Her work has received international recognition from France, Brazil and Japan. Cindy lives with her family in San Francisco. |
| Written By |
|
JOHN SOBOL is an author, musician and poet who has performed at festivals and clubs in a dozen countries. His first picture book, Friend or Foe (illustrated by Dasha Tolstikova), was described in Brain Pickings as “a charming modern-day fable.” He has toured an acclaimed one-man show called Two Million Years of Technology, and he has written many popular TV shows for children, including Pippi Longstocking and Under the Umbrella Tree. John is a father and a feminist. He lives in Ottawa. |
| Illustrated by |
|
CINDY DERBY is an author, illustrator and puppeteer. Her illustrations for Outside In by Deborah Underwood received a Caldecott Honor and a Golden Kite Honor. She has written and illustrated the highly acclaimed picture books Blurp’s Book of Manners, Two Many Birds (Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Books of the Year) and How to Walk an Ant. Her work has received international recognition from France, Brazil and Japan. Cindy lives with her family in San Francisco. |
| Audience | ages 3 to 7 / grades P to 2 |
| Reading Levels |
Guided Reading N
Fountas & Pinnel Text Level N |
| Common Core | CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.7 |
“Poetic text and evocative images infused with love and warmth welcome a new baby.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[A] meditative ode to childbirth.” —Publisher's Weekly
“[T]he combination of Sobol’s words and Derby’s illustrations together make a thoroughly captivating story.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials