• "Beginning with its endpapers, covered with babies in their amazing variety, Welcoming Babies is a celebration of the beginning of life for humans.... Besides being an excellent multicultural title, expectant families can use this as a read-aloud...."
  —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Everyone marvels at babies: parents, grandparents, siblings, and even babies are fascinated by other babies. Welcoming Babies shows the diverse ways we treasure new life around the world. This is a lovely gift book, and in the classroom it's a wonderful springboard for discussions on traditions and culture.

Teachers Take Note:
As the notions of what constitute a family continue to evolve, books such a this one have a special place in helping children understand family diversity. The images of babies surrounded by loving adults both inform and educate since each picture in this book truly does tell a story!

Welcoming Babies will help inspire classroom conversations about:
• Adoptive families
• Christian, Jewish and Muslim families
• Naming and gift-giving traditions
• Celebrations
• Birth

Resources:
•Understanding Families

Family Diversity Projects: Non-profit group dedicated to educating students, parent, teachers, religious leaders, communities, and the general public about family diversity. It offers exhibits, reading lists, and websites for those who visit. www.familydiv.org
Adoption: As more families continue to grow by adoption this site will direct visitors to hundreds of resources. www.adopting.com

• If you would like to learn more about the author/illustrator's books Talking Walls, Talking Walls: The Stories Continue, Who Belongs Here?, Welcoming Babies and Africa is Not a Country, visit http://www.margyburnsknight.com/ and
http://www.AnneSibleyOBrien.com/

Activities
• Lullabies Around the World
Explore the ways parents put their children to sleep. Choose a few favorite lullabies and ask: What do the words say? Why were they written? Who wrote them? Have students write and illustrate a lullaby.

• Sharing Family Traditions

Introduce the idea of family traditions by having children list the major holidays they celebrate. Put the holiday's on the board and then ask children what their family does on these special days. Put answers on the board. As the picture emerges that each family celebrates in its own way, ask what these traditions have in common and what functions they serve.