An Indigenous woman joyously awaits the birth of her child in this New York Times bestselling celebration of family and tradition by Cree and Trinidadian writer Tasha Spillett-Sumner, with dazzling illustrations by Tlingit artist and Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade.
"I loved you before I met you," the mother says. She gazes up into an amethyst sky at sunset, longing for a child. Following the sweeps of stardust, she finds a white eagle feather in a strawberry patch, "the first gift in a bundle/ that will be yours." While the assembling of medicine bundles is practiced primarily by Indigenous cultures, Spillet-Sumner's tender free-verse tribute to the joy of welcoming a new baby should resonate with any caregiver who has excitedly awaited a child's arrival. Her spare, uplifting lines sing with gratitude, reverence and elation. Goade's ethereal watercolor and mixed-media illustrations soar across the page, overflowing with gorgeous touches. --Jaclyn Fulwood, youth services manager, Main Branch, Dayton Metro Library