The Baby on the Way

Written by Karen English · Illustrated by Sean Qualls

A boy's question leads to a grandmother's tale of her birth and family traditions.

3.7 Goodreads · 35 ratings

32 pages· ~480L

$16.00Save 7%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In a rooftop garden, young Jamal asks his grandmother if she was ever a baby. Her answer unfolds a rich tapestry of family history, revealing her birth as the tenth child in a humble farming family. Through vivid storytelling, she shares the unique traditions that marked her arrival, from midwife visits to drinking water from a thimble. This gentle narrative invites readers to explore their own family stories and the timeless bonds that connect generations.

From the publisher

By the Coretta Scott King Honor authorIn an urban rooftop garden, a young African American boy named Jamal initiates an intriguing conversation with his grandmother when he asks her if she was ever a baby. Turns out Grandma was even once ?the baby on the way, ? and she proceeds to tell the story of her birth, the tenth child in a poor farming family. As she discusses the events and traditions that accompanied her welcome to the world, from the fetching of the midwife to a folkways ritual of drinking water from a thimble, vivid, expressionistic paintings from a talented new illustrator evoke the past.A gentle and satisfying book that will inspire young readers to gather other stories about being the baby on the way.

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