Nine Months: Before a Baby is Born

Nine Months Before a Baby is Born is information packaged in delight. Each page spread covers one month in the development of a fetus while mirroring what the family is doing in preparation. It’s perfect for parents to explain what’s really happening in Mommy’s belly to an expectant big brother or sister. Paul’s sparse, yet joyful words, and Chin’s vivid illustrations are a fitting match for showing so much science and family dynamics in the constrained parameters of a picture book.Extensive back matter is included, which can help inform the more curious or older expectant big sibling of more detail that happens as a baby grows. Two pages are dedicated to each page spread in the text. For example, in the text for the second month the text says: “Arms, legs . . . tail too?” and the back matter associated with this page explains how the tail reabsorbs to become our tailbone.Further back matter lists Nine Amazing Things Most Babies Can Do Before They’re Born, a chart of human vs. animal gestation periods, and a page of What If . . .?, which includes a paragraph on when something goes wrong. A LOT of information is packaged into this picture book and it’s very well done.In every writing workshop I’ve been to, I’m told that a good picture book is a dance between the text and the illustrations. Nine Months Before a Baby is Born is a perfect dance. lisaconnors.wordpress.com

We borrowed this book from the library and liked it so much that we bought a used copy to keep. My son had become very interested in pregnancy and birth and I love the visuals that this book provides so he could see how a baby grows! It’s sweet watching the family prepare for their new arrival. The drawings on each page are beautiful and offer a ton of visual interest and fun talking points. Not as informative regarding sperm and egg content, but there are plenty of other books for that, this one offers the best drawings for baby development and my son loves the extra information included for each month in the back!

Great book for first child expecting new sibling

My daughter, and my husband and I all adore this book! We went for our first sonogram last week and the page in the book that correlates to that appointment was so informative for my almost five year old daughter. She knew what to expect and even loves that inost pages the little girl has her own little pretend baby accompanying her.The artwork is beautiful, the seasons are actually perfectly aligned with our due in November second child, and I cannot share anough about how much I love this book. Simple sentences, so much beauty and joy, and the life size picture of the baby in utero are just stunning.I would give this ten stars if I could, and will recommend and purchase for anyone I know that is expecting and already has a little one to share the joy with.

I got this because I wanted a book with pictures my kids could look at for each stage of development of their baby brother arriving in a few months. This book has really great illustrations and information (what they can do inside the womb) for each month of development except months 8 and 9 are combined. This was exactly what I was looking for. The only reason I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is it’s written from a secular point of view and calls the baby an embryo or fetus until born. I get the need for books like this, not everyone believes in life at conception, but I do, so….4 stars. Very well done!!

I bought this book to help prepare my two-year-old son for a new baby. We read it often and I explained to him how the baby was growing. The pictures are so detailed it really gave him an understanding of watching my belly change. We just had our baby girl and he is the best big brother ever. He understood what her umbilical cord was from seeing it in the book and even remembered information from the back of the book about how the baby eats milk and sleeps a lot. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is trying to prepare their kids no matter what the age for a new baby in the family.

Gorgeous, informative illustrations help kids comprehend what's happening. Rhythmic, rhyming prose captures the feeling of waiting. Ten for ten would absolutely recommend and will be buying for future expecting friends with kids to prepare! Very approachable for young ones, specific enough and fact filled (at the back) for older, more inquisitor kids too.

Absolutely LOVED this book for showing our three kiddos (7, 5, and 4 at the time) how their baby brother was developing. It has been well loved and gets pulled out still after his birth to show their little friends what he looked like inside. Have already recommended to several friends as there just isn’t much else available for siblings older than 2-3 years old and YouTube videos tend to get a little too graphic Bahahaha!

Great way to introduce kids to baby before the delivery. Beautiful detail, facts and age appropriate descriptions. Highly recommend.

Livro fantástico para mostrar a gestação de um bebé a crianças. A minha filha com 4,5 anos adorou. As ilustrações são realistas e maravilhosas

This book is so good to gift to ur elder child.

Absolutely beautiful book - realistic but still imaginative illustrations. My 21 month old son loves looking at the pictures and talking about them, but the book has many different levels so would equally appeal to a much older child.

This book is really good to explain toddles they will have a brother or sister. The images are very realistic. For it to be just perfect is if it was a cardboard book.