When the World Was Waiting for You

by Gillian Shields

Overview

What could be more heartwarming than the arrival of a new little one? The bunny family in this charming picture book celebrates all the events surrounding a birth, from readying the baby's crib to the very first visit from friends and family This new board book edition is a perfect baby shower gift, and the round edges and sturdy pages make it just right for big siblings with little hands.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781408806319
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Publication date:	03/28/2013
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 1.25(h) x 9.00(d)
Age Range:	3 - 6 Years

About the Author

Anna Currey is the author and/or illustrator of several books for children, including Truffle’s Christmas.

Editorial Reviews

PreS—The rabbit family introduced in When the World Is Ready for Bed (Bloomsbury, 2009) is eagerly awaiting the birth of a new baby. Shields's short, rhyming couplets are complemented by Currey's warm, sunshine yellow watercolors as they show the rabbits preparing the nursery and greeting the little one when it finally arrives. "We made your room/so warm and snug,/With crib and blanket,/Lamp and rug." The colorful paintings are full of detail yet create a peaceful atmosphere and are the perfect background to the simple, relaxed text. Bearing baskets of lettuce, guests arrive wearing their Sunday best and bounce the little one on their knees as they celebrate. When they are gone, the new baby remains under the careful watch of its brothers and sisters as "Now the world/Still waits for you,/To grow, and bloom,/And be, and do." This tender picture book is perfect to share with new siblings who are impatient to greet a little one of their own.—Kristine M. Casper, Huntington Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

Gentle bunny illustrations by artist Anna Currey blend perfectly with Gillian Shields's poetic story about waiting for a new baby (bunny) to arrive. It's nice to read about the whole journey from the longing for the new baby to arrive to the longing of all the baby will become. It takes this topic, which has been done, and puts a fresh spin on it. Kids will really relate to all the things a mother does to get ready: making up the room, buying all the toys and necessities, finishing the wash before baby comes. When baby finally arrives, it is celebration time. The celebration and joy in selecting a name, enjoying visits from friends and relatives, and caring for baby are beautifully rendered. It is the special things the family does for baby at the end of this story that presents the story's heart. The family simply loves and helps baby "To grow, and bloom, / And be and do." Readers who enjoy this title will not want to miss Gillian Shields's other titles, including When the World is Ready for Bed. Reviewer: Jodell Sadler

Children's Literature - Jodell Sadler

Shields and Currey introduced a charming rabbit family with three children in When the World Is Ready for Bed (2009). In this successful sequel, a new baby joins the family. With just a few rhyming lines of text, this story of this baby bunny's arrival into a loving family makes a memorable addition to the welcoming-the-new-baby subgenre. As the family awaits the birth, they prepare the nursery with a cozy crib and new toys. Then the mother is shown with the new arrival and the family gathered around her. The relatives arrive, the baby is celebrated and the gentle ending reminds readers that though the family's wait for this "dearest baby of them all" is over, the world is still waiting for this new addition "to grow, and bloom, and be, and do." So much is packed into these few rhyming lines: all the hopes and dreams and love of the welcoming family and the potential for each new life to change the world. The large-format watercolor illustrations of the rabbits are done in a loose style with delightful details in the rabbits' home and costumes. The warm, golden backgrounds suggest a calm and contented world with a sunny future ahead. Expectant parents will love this as a gift, little ones will warm to the reassuring story of each baby's importance and bunny-rabbit aficionados will take this charming tale to heart. (Picture book. 2-5, adults)

Kirkus Reviews