The Wonder That Is You

Parents welcome much-awaited newborns in this hushed celebration of new life and new bonds. Nellist's rhyme flows through the book, commenting on the feel of new parenthood amid the natural world: "It felt as if the world stood still/ The day my dream came true, / And all creation paused to see/ The wonder that is you." Nature's witnesses to the new child include stars, the sun, birds, and even the oceans (a smiling whale rests just beneath the water's surface as a woman extends her hands to the skies). Blanz's painterly illustrations, rendered in ambrosial colors and rich, textured brush-strokes, portray babies of various skin tones dreamily resting amid lily pads, fields, and skies alongside parents in gowns and with flowing locks. Admirers of Nancy Tillman will find a similar voice and feeling in this volume. Ages 4-8. (July)

Copyright 2019 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

IN THIS LYRICAL, RHYMING CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK, a mother's joy knows no bounds as she welcomes her much-anticipated and loved child into the world, even as all of creation celebrates with her. Author Glenys Nellist exuberantly and eloquently captures a mother's awe and gratitude at receiving so great a gift: 'It felt as if the world stood still / The day my dream came true. / And all creation paused to see / The wonder that is you. / It seemed to me that oceans surged / And shouted out your name, / And everyone around me knew / I'd never be the same.' Illustrator Aurelie Blanz's vivid, energetic pictures capture the buoyant life-affirming atmosphere of Nellist's poetry. Myriad creatures — deer, butterflies, an owl, rabbits, a whale, fish, a frog, geese, a kitten, and more — look at the newborn in amazement. Flowers, the moon, trees, stars, and the breeze welcome the infant into God's astounding world. The mothers and babies that Blanz depicts reflect the diversity of God's good creation of different races, and one of the ties that binds them together — the birth of children. The Wonder That is You is recommended as a gift, not only for the birth of a child, but also to possibly commemorate an infant's baptism.—The Christian Courier