"When I was born
I didn’t know what the sea was.
I didn’t know that there were forests
and a world with mountains and beaches."
Avery recently asked if she didn’t know anything when she was a baby, so I thought that question was a perfect segue to this book. Written by author Isabel Minhós Martins and illustrated by illustrator/graphic designer Madalena Matoso, When I Was Born is a beautiful and poignant book about what it's like to be a child and experience the world for the first time. I am in love with Madalena Matoso's bold and graphic style, and the vibrant color palette she uses to give the book a lively and playful feel.
It gives children an idea of what's it like to grow up and how much you see, hear, smell, touch, taste and learn as a baby and then as a child. Most importantly, it gets children wondering about what they were like when they were younger, realizing how much they've changed, how much they can do on their own now that they're older, and how much they're loved. It reminds us the importance and magic of first experiences and milestones. This book is a must-have!
You can read more about Planeta Tangerina, a publishing house and a design studio in Carcavelos, Portugal, specializing in communication design for children and young people, co-founded by Isabel Minhós Martins and Madalena Matoso, along with two other friends. I hope their entire incredible collection of books eventually makes its way to the U.S.!
Also, check out this lovely, lovely baby shower on The Indigo Bunting a few years back (her post might have been how I first heard about this book).