Before You Were Born

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette
"Inspired by Psalm 139:13-16, this charming book answers a child's questions about his birth and his first days of life. . . . Illustrated in lush deep hues of blue and green, as well as warm shades of red, orange and yellow, the storybook family . . . explains how the arrival of a baby changes a family, as well as the wonderful knowledge that each child is important to God's plan."

School Library Journal
"The book captures the watchful waiting and final fulfillment that accompanies the birth experience. The words and imagery created are specific and yet broad based so that the book's theme is accessible and universal. . . . The masterful collaboration of writer and artist makes this title shine. The illustrations are bold and evocative."

Church Educator
"You will want to read this book aloud several times yourself before reading it to children because of the tears in your eyes and the lump in your throat. It is a tender book in both its words and illustrations."

Christian Observer
"Psalm 139 is the inspiration for this exquisitely beautiful book. While it is addressed to an infant, the book is really for all ages. It is a book that can be shared with young children as they ask questions about the world of which they are a part. There is so much to learn, so much to wonder about. The marvel of creation and God's plan for each life shine thought the beautiful charcoal and pastel drawings."

Children's Literature
"Saport's intense, page-filling charcoal and pastel illustrations make this a beautiful book. . . . This colorful picture book is destined to be a new baby gift that will appeal to parents and also to young children when they begin to ask where they came from and what their parents did before they were born."

Kirkus Reviews
"A luminescent tale extolling the miraculous changes wrought by an infant's arrival. Expanding upon the gently reassuring words of Psalm 139, Carlstrom details the myriad ways in which a couple's life evolves with the birth of their child. . . Effulgent imagery continually conveys the sense that this child is the beacon of its parents' universe, enveloping all in its radiance. Saport's pastel and charcoal illustrations convey the same lustrous quality as the poem. Broad, sweeping images fill the pages, depicting the softly rounded figures of the parents cradling their infant, expressing serenity through simple details such as peacefully closed eyes or slightly curving smiles. Rich hues of deep crimson, bright saffron, and vivid cobalt mingle together to create a vibrant setting for Carlstrom's affecting verses. A beautiful portrayal of the transformation of a couple into a family."

Booklist
"In this lyrical, heartwarming picture-book tribute to family and the creation of new life, Carlstrom celebrates the impact that newborns have on the universe from the moment they are conceived. . . Saport's vibrantly colored, expressionistic illustrations, in charcoal and pastel, fill each double-page spread with color and light as they successfully simulate the excitement and joy that only new life can bring."