Waiting for Baby (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Emily Bolam (Illustrator) "For a long time, Max knew his mommy was having a baby..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-A book that shows the impatient waiting period before the birth of a new sibling. Max has watched his mother's stomach grow and now that nine months have passed, he's ready for the big event. "But no baby came." Starting with Sunday, each day of the week passes with slow anticipation and the child's mood changes from excitement to frustration until he decides to have fun without the baby. On Friday, Max plays with his parents, on Saturday he makes cookies with Mom and Grandma, and, when Sunday arrives again, so does the baby. "'Let's go see her!' said Max." While the boy has questions related to the baby, this book's focus is purely emotional. The characters are outlined in bold ink while solid washes of color define the background scenes. There is a simplicity of design even with the addition of sturdy flaps that grow as the days progress, allowing youngsters to see Max and his changing moods, a fun touch.
Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Description

Max does everything he can think of to encourage his new sibling to be born. He talks to his mommy's tummy, sings to it, plays his drum for it, but nothing seems to work. Max is convinced that this baby will never arrive ... until the day finally comes when Daddy takes Mommy to the hospital.

Harriet Ziefert has written a delightful story about the anticipation of a new arrival. Expectant parents will want to read it with their children, and soon-to-be older siblings are sure to identify with Max. Best of all, there's a gift in the back of the book for the big brother or sister to give to the new baby: a nursery door hanger with two important messages: "Shhhh! Baby sleeping" and "Come in! Baby awake."

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (October 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805059296
• ISBN-13: 978-0805059298
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,634 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for Toddlers!, June 20, 2002

By	Kelli Fisher (Georgia, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews

It can be very difficult to find a book that discusses the "waiting" process before a new sibling arrives in a family. It is even more difficult to find a book that will keep the attention of a 2 1/2 year old. This book covers all of these obstacles and my son LOVES it!

This book discusses a boy named Max waiting for his new sibling to arrive (sister). He does all sorts of things to get the baby's attention inside his mommy's tummy. You can be creative in the way you read this book to your child ,and he/she will find even more enjoyment in the inside cover pages that show the year before the baby is born, and the year after the baby is born.

This book was worth every penny I spent for it!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great story!, January 1, 2001

By A Customer

I bought this book for my 2 1/2 year old nephew when we found out he is going to be a big brother (of course, the fact that his name is Max clinched the sale!). This book is his current favorite...he knows it by heart and likes to "read" it on his own or to others. The story is written in the third person, but at a level that he can understand and relate to. My nephew especailly loves to look at the pictures in the front and back cover (which depict the year leading up to the baby's birth and the year following the baby's birth) and the two pages where Max does special things with his parents (ride his bike, play ball, go on a long walk, etc.) My next purchase will be a story about living with a new baby, since this one was such a big hit!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 3 -and-1/2-year-old son loves this book!, February 22, 2001

By	"puck" (Montville, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

We're expecting our second child in a few months, and my son (3 and 1/2) loves the idea that he is going to be a "big brother." This book really highlights some of the feelings he's got -- even though our delivery is months away, not days. We especially like the pages printed on the inside-front and inside-rear covers, which show vignettes from the year in which the baby is born (including full term of pregnancy) and the year after the baby is born. Every time we sit down to read this book, we end up having a half-hour conversation about how my son is going to be such a big helper when the baby comes.