My Mom's Having a Baby!: A Kid's Month-by-Month Guide to Pregnancy

Plot Summary

Elizabeth’s mom is having a baby, and the whole family is involved. Elizabeth learns all about the baby’s development, and she traces his growth, month by month. She learns how the baby got inside Mom, too. Finally the big day comes—Mom and Dad head off to the hospital, and soon there’s a brand-new little person in the family!

Awards

Booklist Editors’ Choice 2005; Science Books & Films Best Books for Children 2005; Top 10 Sci-Tech Books for Youth 2005

Reviews

"Numerous books are available to prepare soon-to-be siblings for the changes that come with the arrival of a new baby in the house. Butler's goes one better by candidly, and thoughtfully, responding to the question many such books ignore, 'How did that baby get there?' Joyous, splashy watercolors establish the warmth of a close-knit family and introduce narrator Elizabeth, about five, a bundle of energy. Her delight and curiosity spills across the pages as she explains that her mother 'has a baby growing inside her,' and describes what she learns about the pregnancy and her developing sib." STARRED, Booklist

"With unwavering exuberance, young Elizabeth takes readers month-by-month through her mom's pregnancy, tracking her prospective sibling's size from September's 'only as big as my bottom front tooth,' through February's 'as big as my stuffed rabbit,' and on to May's delivery. Unusual for treatments of this topic, Elizabeth is very specific--about not only the baby's physical development and Mom's anatomy, but also about just how Dad's sperm came to meet Mom's egg." Kirkus Reviews

"The playful and colorful illustrations add exuberance to the text, combining full-page paintings, cartoon panels, word balloons, and free-floating images, many of which are of the developing baby. The joy and love felt by all of the family members is palpable. This volume is an excellent choice for those readers who are ready to ask and be told some of life's basic facts." School Library Journal

Author Dori Hillestad Butler appeared on the show on Thursday, February 23, 2011 to discuss a recent challenge of the book in Texas. Fox & Friends

Associated Keywords
baby, birth, reproduction, sex, babies,