Illustrations that are even larger in scale than an infant would be in reality show the first minutes and hours of an newborn child's life. A mother's comforting voice tells an invisible older child about that precious day. It's a busy birth day: cutting of the umbilical cord, a first cry, being braceleted, getting cleaned up and measured, nursing, wearing a little cap for warmth and falling asleep--over and over, even with lots of relatives eager to meet the new family member. The artwork was done in pencil and pastel and can be easily seen by a group of preschoolers or children sharing the 12 x 10" book in a family setting. (Ages 1-6)

From the first moments of her life, a baby is able to breathe, open her eyes, and gaze at her mother's face. Through tender text and extraordinary illustrations, Happy Birth Day! shows children how very much they were loved right from the start. Full-color illustrations.