<DIV>An imaginative and heartwarming ode that celebrates a parent's affection for a child<BR><BR>If I were a skywriter, I'd write your name up high<BR>In sparkling golden loop-the-loops across a summer sky.<br><BR>To what heights will a mom or dad go to celebrate their love for a son or daughter? Will they climb Mount Everest? Will they write a hit song? From making pizza as a chef and blasting off as an astronaut visiting Mars, to gathering gemstones as a geologist and granting wishes as a genie, a parent's fanciful desires for his or her child come true as the child discovers each wonder while mom lovingly looks on. This book is a great read aloud at storytime to subtly introduce careers, soothing as a bedtime book or lullaby, and an ideal gift for new mothers and for Mother's Day and Father's Day.<br><BR>The dynamic first-time author and illustrator team treats parents and children to a story that celebrates affection with imagination. The free lines and warm, soft colors of Marcellus Hall's illustrations bring to life Sherry North's rhythmic and lively text, resulting in a heartfelt testament to the boundless love of a parent.<BR><BR><B><U>Praise for <I>Because You Are My Baby<BR></I></U></B>“Around this time of year, in anticipation of Mother's Day, the shelves are flooded with sentimental books about how much mothers love their children. That's not a bad thing; it's certainly something to be celebrated. But when a book comes along that portrays this powerful love in a fresh and spirited way, that's truly cause for celebration. The fantasies are clever and the bold watercolor illustrations of the intrepid duo are delightfully retro.”</DIV> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>—<I>San Francisco Chronicle</I></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>“Hall makes an impressive picture book debut. Hall's radiant, double-page watercolors showcase his gifts for dramatic sweep and comic telling detail.”</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>—<I>Publishers Weekly</I></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>“An energetic and inspiring testament to motherhood.”</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>—<I>Kirkus Reviews</I></P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal> </P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>“Rhythms reminiscent of those in Margaret Wise Brown's <I>Runaway Bunny</I>.”</P> <P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal>—<I>Booklist</I></P>