Mama’s Belly

A child with bouncy, brown curls lives with her serene, pregnant mother and attentive father in their lakeside cabin filled with handmade quilts. The child anticipates the arrival of her baby sister: “Mama has a belly rising up, like a wave. Inside is my sister, waiting to meet me.” She wonders if her sister will have freckles, whether her sister knows her already, and if she will have to share her blanket. Her mother’s answers are patient and clear: “That blanket will always be yours,” she says. “But let’s make another one for your sister.” Halpin creates a tranquil natural landscape in her lush, earth-toned paintings, while indoor scenes are infused with warmth; the absence of modern technology, beyond an array of snapshots, provides an air of timelessness. Readers awaiting the arrival of a sibling will gain assurance that there will be more than enough love to go around. Ages 5–up. (Apr.)