You Were the First

K-Gr 1—Told in second person, this picture book pays tribute to the significance of the moments with a baby from its very first night home. "You were the first…. You were the first to sleep in the basket with the yellow ribbon wound round. You were the first to cry. You were the first to smile." Simple, poignant lines allow plenty of room for the warm illustrations done in graphite pencil and ink to bring readers into the joyful home of this young family. Each page is full of telling details for children to notice while conveying emotion that will resonate strongly with parents. The baby grows a little with every page turn in this book of firsts-lifting his head, and then crawling, walking, and running-bringing readers to the powerful line in the text: "You were the first to teach us how to be parents." The book closes with that yellow-ribboned basket again while suggesting a possible second child, but promising that this baby will always be the first. A touching celebration for firstborns.—Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA