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You Were the First Hardcover – Picture Book, September 24, 2013
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You were the first to smile. You were the first to cry. You were the first to lift your head, to look at the trees and flowers and sky.
There is nothing like the first experience of having a child, a life-changing experience that completely transforms the meaning of love. While all babies in the family are special, a new sibling can be an especially challenging emotional transition for the firstborn, and this unique story addresses those insecurities head-on in a most gentle and lyrical way. You Were the First is also a touching tribute to any baby's early milestones--those unforgettable moments that will always be cherished. From first smiles to first cuddles and even to that first kiss, here's a loving ode to every child's--and parent's--momentous "firsts."
- Print length40 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelPreschool - 3
- Dimensions8.5 x 0.5 x 9.75 inches
- PublisherLittle, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication dateSeptember 24, 2013
- ISBN-100316185337
- ISBN-13978-0316185332
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Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal
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Review
“New parents will appreciate this tender celebration of the parent-first baby bond that grows as fast as the little one does.”
―Kirkus Reviews"A touching celebration for firstborns."―School Library Journal
Praise for Who Loves Me?:
"MacLachlan's cozy, comforting dialogue meanders like a song. A warm and lyrical selection." —School Library Journal
Praise for Painting the Wind:
"The prose flows with the relaxed rhythms of summer. Evocative descriptions bring life and individuality to each artist." —School Library Journal
About the Author
Stephanie Graegin is the illustrator of Don't Feed the Baby, Water in the Park, Happy Birthday, Bunny! and several other books. She studied fine arts at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and went on to attend the Pratt Institute, where she received a master of fine arts in printmaking. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can visit her online at www.graegin.com.
Product details
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; First Edition (September 24, 2013)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 40 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0316185337
- ISBN-13 : 978-0316185332
- Reading age : 2 - 4 years, from customers
- Grade level : Preschool - 3
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.5 x 0.5 x 9.75 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #8,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #22 in Children's New Baby Books
- #27 in Children's Parents Books
- #31 in Children's Siblings Books (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
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A great gift for a 1st born before new baby is brought home
Allie
About the authors
Patricia MacLachlan was born on the prairie, and to this day carries a small bag of prairie dirt with her wherever she goes to remind her of what she knew first. She is the author of many well-loved novels and picture books, including Sarah, Plain and Tall, winner of the Newbery Medal; its sequels, Skylark and Caleb's Story; and Three Names, illustrated by Mike Wimmer. She lives in western Massachusetts.
In Her Own Words..."One thing I've learned with age and parenting is that life comes in circles. Recently, I was having a bad time writing. I felt disconnected. I had moved to a new home and didn't feel grounded. The house, the land was unfamiliar to me. There was no garden yet. Why had I sold my old comfortable 1793 home? The one with the snakes in the basement, mice everywhere, no closets. I would miss the cold winter air that came in through the electrical sockets."
"I had to go this day to talk to a fourth-grade class, and I banged around the house, complaining. Hard to believe, since I am so mild mannered and pleasant, isn't it? What did I have to say to them? I thought what I always think when I enter a room of children. What do I know?"
"I plunged down the hillside and into town, where a group of fourth-grade children waited for me in the library, freshly scrubbed, expectant. Should I be surprised that what usually happens did so? We began to talk about place, our living landscapes. And I showed them my little bag of prairie dirt from where I was born. Quite simply, we never got off the subject of place. Should I have been so surprised that these young children were so concerned with place, or with the lack of it, their displacement? Five children were foster children, disconnected from their homes. One little boy's house had burned down, everything gone. 'Photographs, too,' he said sadly. Another told me that he was moving the next day to place he'd never been. I turned and saw the librarian, tears coming down her face."
"'You know,' I said. 'Maybe I should take this bag of prairie dirt and toss it into my new yard. I'll never live on the prairie again. I live here now. The two places could mix together that way!' 'No!' cried a boy from the back. 'Maybe the prairie dirt will blow away!' And then a little girl raised her hand. 'I think you should put that prairie dirt in a glass bowl in your window so that when you write you can see it all the time. So you can always see what you knew first.'"
"When I left the library, I went home to write. What You Know First owes much to the children of the Jackson Street School: the ones who love place and will never leave it, the ones who lost everything and have to begin again. I hope for them life comes in circles, too."
Stephanie spent her childhood drawing and collecting fauna in Fort Wayne, Indiana and Houston, Texas. She received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Arts and her MFA in printmaking from the Pratt Institute. Stephanie now lives in Brooklyn and is still drawing. Visit her at graegin.com.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book sweet and charming. They say it's a good book for children to read to their eldest, making them feel important and reminding them that they are the first baby. The book is easy for them to read, with simple sentences and strong meaning. Many readers find the book emotional and a great gift for the oldest child. The message is meaningful and touching, making kids feel special. However, some customers feel the examples are too specific and unrelatable at times.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book sweet and charming. They describe it as cute and a good keepsake for a memorable time in a parent's life. The illustrations are beautiful and capture their attention easily.
"9 months pregnant but still. This story is so touching and was the best gift for a soon to be older sibling...." Read more
"Great for big brother or Sister , nice story & good quality of a book" Read more
"...It was a perfect choice! It is beautifully illustrated and easily captures the attention of a 5 year old. The subject matter is on point...." Read more
"This charming picture book is both comforting and inclusive." Read more
Customers find this book for children a good gift to give their eldest child. It reminds them that they are the first baby and makes them feel important. It honors memories made with the first child in anticipation of making more memories with the new one. The book is easy to follow and great to read to younger kids as well as older ones.
"Great for big brother or Sister , nice story & good quality of a book" Read more
"This charming picture book is both comforting and inclusive." Read more
"...In any case we love this book- Certainly a memory maker for a growing family." Read more
"This was such a great book to read to our toddler that was about to be a big brother." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and understand. It has simple sentences with strong meaning. The message is easy for children to understand and the illustrations capture their attention. It's a good book for reading to new babies.
"...It is beautifully illustrated and easily captures the attention of a 5 year old. The subject matter is on point. Extremely pleased with this book...." Read more
"...It is simple sentences with strong meaning. It is easy to follow, and would be great to read to younger kids and as a gift for older kids up to..." Read more
"...It’s a simple book and our toddler enjoys looking through the book on her own as well as sitting and listening as we read it to her." Read more
"...It is wonderful and simply amazing how effective, simple and straight-forward the book is, in depicting what the first child represents to us - the..." Read more
Customers find the book emotional and touching. They say it's a sweet and bittersweet ode to the oldest child.
"Absolutely love this book! What a precious, bittersweet ode to the oldest child...." Read more
"...Well written, well illustrated. Total tear jerker for this mom!" Read more
"...It is a tear jerker, and my 5 year old has had us read it to her every night since her baby sis was born. It’s adorable!" Read more
"...It’s so sweet and it makes me tear up! We are having our second child next month and this is such a sweet way to remind him of how special he is...." Read more
Customers like the book as a gift. They say it's a good gift for the oldest child.
"9 months pregnant but still. This story is so touching and was the best gift for a soon to be older sibling...." Read more
"Made a great shower gift" Read more
"...Great gift for all the oldests out there!" Read more
"Great book for a gift" Read more
Customers find the book's message meaningful and lovely. They say it's a nice concept that mentions all the milestones and simple moments. The message is strong and sweet, making kids feel special.
"...The subject matter is on point. Extremely pleased with this book. I will gift it again when the situation is right." Read more
"...It is simple sentences with strong meaning...." Read more
"...And a garden. But the idea is SUPER. The book is a nice hardback, quality print. Nice paper. I really like it." Read more
"This book is the sweetest ever. Lovely message for a family welcoming a new one and wanting to affirm their oldest. I’m crying just thinking of it." Read more
Customers like the story. They say it's touching and sweet, and their children feel special after reading it.
"...Whenever we read this book to our son, he feels special, and feels especially cute thinking about the baby...." Read more
"Such a touching and sweet story. We gave this to our son when our daughter was born. I can’t get through it without crying...." Read more
"...It's short but to the point and so touching! Don't pass this one up...." Read more
"Really touching and meaningful, kids love to read it and feel special. Everyone tears the first time they read this...." Read more
Customers find the book too specific and detailed. They feel the examples are unrelatable.
"...The only downfall is that some of the things are kind of oddly specific like, "You were the first to wear the red snowsuit" ... I just read,..." Read more
"...The only thing I didn’t like was it included things that were too specific such as “you were he first to use the yellow bassinet” ...." Read more
"...It is well written. Maybe a little too specific with certain detials that may not pertain to your situation, but overall explains the imporatance a..." Read more
"...It was too specific as I've seen other reviewers note. So, it felt a bit unrelatable at times b/c the examples were so specific...." Read more
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The Sweetest Little Book
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2024We love this book
- Reviewed in the United States on November 3, 20249 months pregnant but still. This story is so touching and was the best gift for a soon to be older sibling. Illustrations are pretty and my child enjoys reading it again and again.
- Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2024Great for big brother or Sister , nice story & good quality of a book
- Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2022Friends have a grandson who is awaiting the birth of his first sibling. I gifted this book to help him make the transition from Only Child to Big Brother. It was a perfect choice! It is beautifully illustrated and easily captures the attention of a 5 year old. The subject matter is on point. Extremely pleased with this book. I will gift it again when the situation is right.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2018Bought this for my 6year old in anticipation of his baby brother being born. It is simple sentences with strong meaning. It is easy to follow, and would be great to read to younger kids and as a gift for older kids up to maybe 9years.
We read it together every night until he could read it on his own, and then once his brother was born he read it to him aloud. It was so sweet. The baby is now 9m old and he my oldest (now 7) still pulls it down to read sometimes. It is easily one of the best most heartfelt purchases I've ever made.
Its hard explaining to an only child kindergartner that someday he won't be an only anymore--but he will always be the first.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2015Be prepared to cry. This book is so sweet but pretty much every sentiment on every page brings tears to my eyes. I cannot read it aloud to our 3 year old who is about to become a big sister because I get too choked up. Especially not the part about "you were the first who taught us how to be parents." My daughter on the other hand loves it. I only wish the first born in the book was a girl, getting a brother, to help relate to our situation - instead it's a boy getting a sister. In any case we love this book- Certainly a memory maker for a growing family.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2024This was such a great book to read to our toddler that was about to be a big brother.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2024This charming picture book is both comforting and inclusive.
Top reviews from other countries
- J MReviewed in Canada on December 17, 2024
5.0 out of 5 stars Special book
Purchased this for my step daughter after I had my biological son. It is a great book to remind her that she is still special and important to us. She is still loved and nothing has changed just because of another sibling. The pictures are nice and it’s an easy read.
- Sunrise ChickenReviewed in Germany on August 28, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful Story
Wonderful little book but be prepared to cry your eyes out.
- BiskwittyReviewed in the United Kingdom on January 2, 2023
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
My first born had been wanting a sibling for years! When I was finally pregnant he got cold feet and started to get upset about being left out and not getting any attention. I bought this to help, what a lovely story, it helped with preparation and reassuring our son that he was just as important as his new brother and how it was him that made us parents. He loved it - he is 6, his brother is 3 months old now and they are inseparable. He never feels left out or any resentment. This book gave us lots of ideas, talking points and allowed my eldest to talk about his feelings. Well worth buying if you have a young child who is apprehensive of having a new baby in the family. It has such a wonderful message about the first born child, makes them feel so loved and important. It definitely did the trick.
- C. JulieReviewed in France on May 6, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book to prepare for siblings
Good book to prepare for the arrival of siblings. I recommend to associate it to other complementary books too. Good for any age
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SamReviewed in Mexico on May 7, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Es precioso
Me encantó, la historia es muy bonita. Ideal para regalar a un hijo cuando se espera un hermanit@