When You Were New

PreS-Gr 2–Like Cynthia Rylant’s Birthday Presents, this book covers a daughter’s first years, from when she was born to her first steps “away” from home at school. A parent narrates in a collective “we” as a mother with slightly darker skin and black hair and a father with reddish brown hair and lighter skin delight in their baby, then their toddler, and all her little moments. It adds up to the evolution of a family and how they learn about the world together: experiencing the beach for the first time; tasting different food textures for the first time (oranges in the kitchen and raspberries in the garden); showing in subtle ways a child’s development. From a bundle in a nursery to a toddler playing tea, a child learns so much from the world and new parents learn along with the child. Each beautiful spread complements the different experiences, right down to a closing wall of photos that telescopes into the future and shows other landmark moments this family will face. This is a wonderful picture book to share in a unit on families; pair it with Here is the Baby by Polly Kanevsky for a great companion read.