On the Day You Were Born

On the Day You Were Born. ISBN 0-590-97955-8. Debra Frasier.1991. Parent's Choice Gold Award. Ages 4-8. Multi-Cultural.

On the Day You Were Born, by Debra Frasier, is a book that welcomes a child to the world. The child who the book is being read to is the main character. Each aspect of nature and mother Earth has prepared for the child's arrival, and each is explained well through words and illustration. The animals are shown moving in different directions on the planet Earth to represent migration, the sun is shown pushing flames into the sky to light it. Movement and the direction of movement is shown well in each illustration by similair shapes being used in different sizes to direct the eye, which is important when discussing migration, sun light, moon light, and waves. The outline of a person is seen in each picture, with the color of skin changing on each page.

This book will make any child feel as if she is truly a part of nature and the cycle of life by connecting her to animals, gravity, oxygen, etc. In the back of the book, the author explains each illustration more scientifically, but in a child-friendly way, which would be a great tool in the classroom. She even explains how people have different color skin based on their ancestors proximity to the sun, which many children are very curious about, and even have a hard time understanding. I would use this book to show that we are all connected.