Evan Early

Natalie is waiting on her premature baby to come home and as she waits, she learns all the things the doctors have to go through to make sure the baby is strong and healthy. When things go wrong, and the doctors and parents bustle to keep the baby stable, Natalie gets upset because she is not getting enough attention, and finally everything is alright and the baby is home.

The story is very cool because it talks about real-life events, even though it is a fictional book. The illustrations are colorful and it looks like they are pastel watercolor paint illustrations. I like the brightness of the illustrations because they signal that this is a happy joyous moment when the baby arrives.

Teachers can do these things in the classroom with this book.

·         Read the book in a reading circle and ask questions about children’s experiences with having a baby brother or sister. Ask them how they felt, if they felt left out because their mommy and daddy gave the baby too much attention. Ask them to draw an illustration and write about their experiences.

·         Create a discovery lesson about premature babies for older children. Explain to them the process of a baby being born and show illustrations (not really graphic illustrations).

I really enjoyed reading this book because it conveys the emotions of this little girl as she waits for her brother to come home. This book can be read at home or at school and I think children can pretty much relate to this book.