What's it about?
The clue is in the title really. This book is about a small girl whose mother is expecting a baby. Holly sees animals and their babies and she sees her mother and starts to wonder about where babies come from. Her mother explains about it carefully and honestly.

What did you like about it?
I liked how the author compared Holly’s mother expecting a baby with the ducks and their ducklings and the other animals as that is often how such a conversation does begin, and so the book follows a very natural conversational progression. I also liked how God was brought so naturally into the conversation. I also loved the illustrations by Honor Ayres.

What didn't you like?
Nothing.

What will you still remember a year from now?
I will remember this book the moment one of my children says, ‘Mu—um?’ And they will hopefully remember a true, levelheaded and informative response to their young questions.

Who would you recommend this book to?
I would recommend this book to a child who asks ‘Why?’ a lot. This tends to begin at the age of two or three and I would say this book would be suitable up to the age of about eight when you might find they start to have more questions than this book answers. It would also be a good resource for anywhere where there are young children eg at a church, in children’s groups. I would also recommend to parents who are expecting a new baby but already have a child as this is a time when questions might occur and you might as well be prepared.

Can you give us a couple of good quotes from the book?
’When will the baby come out?’ asked Holly.’ A baby elephant is inside its mother for nearly two years!’ said Mum. ‘A zebra takes about twelve months. Our baby will have been inside me growing doe about nine months,’ said Mum. ‘It will be ready to be born in four weeks.’

‘From the moment you were a tiny dot inside my body, God knew the colour your hair and eyes would be. God knew what shape your nose would be and whether you would be tall or short.’

Review by Hilary

 See this book in the CMs shop.