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Children's Nonfiction New Baby

Where Do Babies Come From?

Our First Talk About Birth

by (author) Jillian Roberts

illustrated by Cindy Revell

Publisher
Orca Book Publishers
Initial publish date
Oct 2015
Category
New Baby, Sexuality & Pregnancy, Body
Recommended Age
3 to 5
Recommended Grade
p to k
Recommended Reading age
3 to 5
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781459809420
    Publish Date
    Oct 2015
    List Price
    $19.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781459809444
    Publish Date
    Oct 2015
    List Price
    $16.99
  • Downloadable audio file

    ISBN
    9781459816626
    Publish Date
    Dec 2016
    List Price
    $4.99
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9781459831865
    Publish Date
    Mar 2022
    List Price
    $14.95

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

An engaging introduction for very young children to the basic facts of life in a way that is gentle, age-appropriate and accessible.

Research shows that children are learning about sex at an increasingly young age and often from undesirable sources. The Q&A format, with questions posed in the child’s voice and answers starting simply and becoming gradually more in-depth, allows the adult to guide the conversation to a natural and satisfying conclusion. Additional questions at the back of the book allow for further discussion.

Child psychologist Dr. Jillian Roberts designed the Just Enough series to empower parents/caregivers to start conversations with young ones about difficult or challenging subject matter. Other books in the series deal with diversity, death, separation and divorce.

About the authors

Jillian Roberts' profile page

Cindy Revell planned on becoming an artist ever since her first taste of wax crayons during her childhood in Carrot River, a small town in Saskatchewan. After some very uncreative forays into the working world Cindy realized that she needed to get back to art and went to college receiving her diploma in Environmental Graphic Design. Cindy worked as a designer and illustrator eventually going on to become an award winning freelance illustrator.

Her illustrations have been used on billboards, wine bottles, books, magazines, calendars, furniture, packaging and numerous children's books all over North America. She was nominated in 2001 for a Governor General's award for children's book illustration (Mallory and the Power Boy). Some of her clients are: Adobe, L.A. Times, Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, Better Homes and Gardens, Cornell University, Penguin Putnam, Annick Press, Orca Book Publishers and Scholastic.

As well as being an illustrator, she is an accomplished oil painter. Several years of regular oil painting classes, numerous international and provincial workshops and traveling to view and learn from the old masters as well as her design and illustration training have helped her develop as a traditional realist.

Cindy loves the work of the Flemish oil painters and Spanish artist, Luis Melendez, while her illustration has been inspired by folk, medieval, and eastern art. Her oil painting and illustration are vastly different from one another, the oil paintings tending to be simple and elegant while the illustrations are full of pattern and whimsy. The common element in her oil paintings and illustrations is her use of colour which is always rich and lush.

Cindy is represented by Deborah Wolfe Ltd. See her work at http://www.cindyrevell.com.

Cindy Revell's profile page

Awards

  • Commended, CCBC Best Books for Kids & Teens

Editorial Reviews

"A child psychologist offers simple answers to a perennial question...This title in the Just Enough series for the very young is best as a conversation starter."

Kirkus Reviews

"Offers young children just the right amount of information for their age level...the question and answer format reflects the questions children usually have about reproduction. The contemporary, colourful illustrations complement the text, showing couples embracing (while wearing pyjamas!) and people of different races. The illustrations also show humour...An adult would be well-served to read directly from the text to a child to make them understand what appears to be a mysterious process...A welcome, useful and soon well-worn addition to a home or school collection. Highly Recommended."

CM Magazine

"This picture book tackles the basics of reproduction. The text is presented in a question-and-answer format that will satisfy young children’s curiosity and that could provide a framework or a script for caregivers to work from. The art is colorful, gentle, and detailed...Revell includes characters of various ethnicities and represents different kinds of families. There is a single page in the back addressing other questions that kids may have; these take on same-sex families, adopted babies, and specifics about conception...A fine, age-appropriate option for exploring reproduction and pregnancy."

School Library Journal

"This no-nonsense guide is here to save the day with straightforward, age-appropriate information on the basics of conception and pregnancy. The author, a child psychologist, effectively uses a question-and-answer format to anticipate queries, and she responds in brief but thorough explanations. Technical vocabulary (womb, umbilical cord) is defined in context, and cheerful, expressive illustrations align closely with the text, reinforcing concepts. A last page addendum addresses very specific topics, such as in vitro fertilization, Cesarean sections, and same-sex unions. Some baby-themed selections concentrate on fears and feelings; this factual presentation, with its positive, accessible information, should be just as reassuring to expectant siblings."

Booklist

"A simple and relatively straightforward tool to begin discussions with primary aged children in regard to how a baby is created...Illustrations are bright, gentle, and engaging. They serve very well to help explain the concepts in the book in a more relatable way...Recommended as a beginning resource for children who are ready for more specific information about babies and childbirth."

Resource Links

"Using honesty, plain language, and proper terminology, Roberts covers the basics, but also includes answers to a few common follow-up questions for kids who are curious or ready for more information. Cindy Revell’s bright illustrations highlight diversity and provide visual clarity that enhances the text. This is a great starting point for parents and caregivers who might need a bit of help knowing how much to tell little ones."

Quill & Quire

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