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9781442441569

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In this whimsical story, a new mother reflects on the time before her baby was born. Each page hosts abrief sentence describing her anticipation in the form of dreams: Before we met, / I dreamt we danced / tosongs a songbird wrote; Before we met, / I dreamt I felt / the beating of your heart. Complementing thewords are Tsong s richly textured illustrations. The digital collage artwork exhibits a layered, stenciledeffect that is thick with color and light, as it depicts scenes from nature. Gossamer dragonflies, broodybirds in their nests, mares with their foals, turtles, sea horses, and myriad other parent creaturesforeshadow the arrival of the human baby, who is (naturally) a dream come true. The gentle, poetic textmakes this soothing book well-suited for nap- or bedtime reading. While its simple message of love will beappreciated by all, it will connect strongly with new parents in particular. Amina Chaudhri--Booklist online May 18, 2016

An ode from an expectant mother to her unborn child. Written in first person, rhyming verses find a mother sharing her hopes and envisioning her new life after she births her baby. Each verse begins with the line Before we met, I dreamt as the mother imagines meeting the child she is carrying in her womb. Melmed offers vivid imagery of the baby's features: skin that is softer than a flower and a cry that is sudden as a shower. On the last three pages the mother meets her baby face to face. Here the mood transformsfrom introspective to celebratory....Melmed captures the unconditional love an expectantmother has for her baby. The book's soothing rhymes are an invitation to repeated bedtime readings. Tsong's ethereal illustrations echo the book's dreamanalogy, depicting the mother with long black hair and possibly Asian features.The colors begin with blues and purples as dark as night. Page by page, thecolors lighten with splashes of shades of red and orange before exploding intoa sunrise....--Kirkus Reviews 4/1/16

Author Information

Laura Krauss Melmed is the author of many award-winning picture books, including the New York Times bestsellers I Love You As Much and The Rainbabies. In addition to writing, Laura likes cooking for friends and family, hiking, typing with a cat on her lap, traveling, and, of course, reading. Visit her at LauraKraussMelmed.com. Jing Jing Tsong is a mom, musician, and surfer whose grown-up job is drawing pictures. Her technique, which layers color and texture, is influenced by her experiences working in traditional stone lithography and monoprints. She is the illustrator of Seven Samosas and the New York Times bestselling A Bucket of Blessings, both written by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, First Morning Sun by Aimee Reed, and Feathers and Hair, What Animals Wear by Jennifer Ward, among others. Jing Jing and her husband live on an island in Washington state. Visit her at JingJingTsong.com.

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