The Wonder That Is You

Parents welcome much-awaited newborns in this hushed celebration of new life and new bonds. Nellist’s rhyme flows through the book, commenting on the feel of new parenthood amid the natural world: “It felt as if the world stood still/ The day my dream came true,/ And all creation paused to see/ The wonder that is you.” Nature’s witnesses to the new child include stars, the sun, birds, and even the oceans (a smiling whale rests just beneath the water’s surface as a woman extends her hands to the skies). Blanz’s painterly illustrations, rendered in ambrosial colors and rich, textured brush-strokes, portray babies of various skin tones dreamily resting amid lily pads, fields, and skies alongside parents in gowns and with flowing locks. Admirers of Nancy Tillman will find a similar voice and feeling in this volume. Ages 4–8. (July)