You Were the First

Newbery Medal winner Patricia MacLachlan's lyrical text combines with Stephanie Graegin's intimate illustrations in a heartwarming story celebrating first-borns and the unforgettable joy they bring.

One day there may be a second -
Or a third -
To sleep in the basket with the yellow ribbon wound round
But you will always be the first.

This sweetly sentimental picture book helps parents remind firstborn children that they will always be cherished (even if, and when, a new baby arrives). That child will always have been the first to crawl, the first to sing, the first to light up mom and dad's eyes with wonder and joy.

Children love to hear stories about what they were like when they were born but this is also a perfect answer when welcoming a new baby, offering older siblings tender reassurance that they will always be treasured. For families with only one child, the book celebrates why that one and only is so precious.

Renowned author Patricia Maclachlan, who won a Newbery Medal for Sarah, Plain and Tall, weaves a beautiful story that is both comforting for children and sweetly reminiscent for parents and grandparents. Drawing inspiration from walks through her own neighborhood in Brooklyn, Stephanie Graegin offers illustrations that are refreshingly modern and timeless for families of all kinds.