Before You Were Born

by Howard Schwartz, Kristina Swarner (Illustrator)

Once, long ago, the angel Lailah, who knows all the mysteries of heaven, shared her secrets with you. The moment you were born, you forgot everything. But don't worry, in this book, you will learn about all those wonderful secrets again. And you will even know how you got that indentation above your lip! Noted folklorist Howard Schwartz elegantly shapes this legend. Matched with luminous art, Before You Were Born is the perfect book for bedtime - and all the time.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Jewish

32 pages, Hardcover

Published April 27, 2005

About the author

Howard Schwartz is Professor Emeritus at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is a prolific writer who has published fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. In searching for themes and images for his work in various genres, he has often found his inspiration in biblical, midrashic, and kabbalistic lore. Many of his works retell ancient folktales, reflecting his belief in the importance of passing cultural lore from one generation to the next. His poetry frequently reflects the dreamlike and mysterious elements of Jewish mythology.

Reviews

[Robin Berman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful colorful illustrations accompany this Jewish folklore story from the midrash, a Rabbinic legend. This story was told to the author as a little boy by his mother.
It tells about how we get the little indentation above our lips. It's placed there by the finger of the Guardian Angel, Lailah, who guides souls into the unborn at conception, tell them stories and secrets, then places the indentation so they will forget. She also watches over us during life, and upon death, guides humans into the afterlife.
I never heard of this Angel or the midrash, and will research it.
The pages of the book are luxuriously glossy and smooth to touch.

[Shoshanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm basically obsessed with this illustrator and have loved everything I have read with her illustrations. This is the story of how a soul is taught everything by the angel Lailah before it is born! V sweet and enchanting

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird af

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

We got this book as part of the PJ Library program that we belong to through the JCC.

I loved it. I read it to my daughter at least every other day. She loves it too. The illustrations are gouache and watercolor, and they are mystical, ethereal and lovely.

The story is one I had heard before, based on a Jewish midrash that the angels teach the baby everything in the womb, and the baby forgets it as soon as they are born. I especially am touched by the story because my daughter has always been a bit of an 'old soul' with her intense baby gaze.

It's the kind of story I can read over and over again. I love the angel illustrations.

[Jennifer Heise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty, soft pictures and a charming folk belief: I liked this a lot when the rabbi read it to our preschool class. I got it out of the library recently and the five year old was not terribly impressed. On the other hand, he's not into the 'before you were born' curiousity stage yet either. :) Nice to share with a Jewish child.

[Fred Kohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book would rate five stars for the pictures alone, but Howard Schwartz is a master storyteller as well. He has taken a couple of the darker elements of this tale (like the tour of Gehenna) to make it perfect for young children.

[BookOfLife]

Hear an interview about Before You Were Born with author Howard Schwartz on The Book of Life podcast's November 2006 episode at www.jewishbooks.blogspot.com.

[Yahira Romero · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is interesting. I enjoyed how it explain how children are born. I liked the illustration. I would recommend this book its really cute.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story with very pretty pictures.

[Faith Cordes · Rating 5 out of 5]

So beautiful!