The voice of a parent narrates this book that looks to the future for a young child. The narrator has known from the time the child was very small that they were special, big-hearted, wild and wise. They also emphasize that the child is unique, because it’s the first time there’s been YOU. The emphasis here is on living a life that is bold and interesting but first and foremost it has to be filled with love. And this picture book shines with it.
This simple book focuses on celebrating the potential of each and every child, telling them that they are special and unique and important to the world. The book is written in rhyming couplets that have a gentle rhythm to them, creating almost a lullaby on the page and a wonderful way to send a child off to sleep.
The illustrations are lush paintings that change from one page to the next, showing different families and different children on each page. This furthers the idea that every child has this potential inside of them too. The families are ethnically diverse and most of the pages only have one parent shown, if any at all. The focus is on the child.
This would be a great new baby gift or with the way that it ends with the child growing up, a graduation gift too. But it’s best place is being read aloud to children so that they can understand how incredible they are. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
Reviewed from digital galley received from Random House Books for Young Readers and Edelweiss.