Angel Coming

by Heather Henson, Susan Gaber (Illustrator)

Having been told that babies are brought up the mountain in angels’ saddlebags, a young girl waits eagerly for the arrival of her new sibling while helping her mother and her midwife get ready for the big event that is about to take place in her very own home.

Genres: Picture Books, Historical Fiction, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

First published May 31, 2005

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main value in this for me is the historical fiction of the Frontier Nursing Service. And the pictures, this barefoot lass so lively & imaginative. Of course I'm ever so thankful we don't hide the fact that moms' wombs nourish growing babies anymore.

Hm. Thought of something. Y'know, it's the conservative ppl who tend to keep secretive about the facts of life... and they're generally the same ppl who are anti-abortion, anti-birth control... and yet here they go saying that the baby basically doesn't exist until the visiting nurse brings it. No wonder they also tend to have higher rates of teen & unwed pregnancy.

Anyway, forgive the soap box. Good book, in context. Talk it over with your children.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the mountains of Kentucky the living was hard. In 1925 Mary Brackinridge created the Frontier Nursing Service and those nurses became known as angels on horseback. This is as sweet story about a fable children were told - that expected new babies were brought in saddlebags by those angels. Wonderful illustrations.

[Danette · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet book about a little girl waiting for her baby sister or brother's arrival. Mama tells her an angel (traveling midwife nurses) will be bringing the babe.
There is one reference to the aunts watching for signs and seeing fortunes in a cup of tea.

7/8/18 Naomi read to me.

[Nora Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great book from a young girl’s perspective of her mom having another baby. It would be great to read to a child who is getting a new sibling. The wording is slightly confusing, and that could be difficult for new readers. The illustrations are detailed and represent the story well.

[Christy Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

KY Bluegrass Award winner! A little girl awaits the arrival of her baby sibling. Emotional story and great illustrations.

[Christy]

Angel Coming by Heather Henson is a beautiful story about where babies come from. All throughout the book the little girl who is narrating the story keeps saying an angel is coming over the mountain. She talks about how they get ready for this child to come, getting all the things she had when she was a baby out of storage in their backyard. Looking at her old clothes she can't even figure she was ever that small. Her family comes to celebrate the almost born child and enjoying the time they have together. She goes exploring the next day around the mountain and when she returns she finds a wonderful surprise with her mom. She loves her new little brother just as much as she would've loved the sister she wanted.

The illustrator, Susan Gaber, does a marvelous job with this book! The characters and scenery almost look real but still have that water color effect to them. The page with the fog and only being able to see part of the farm is what it actually looks like on foggy days, it is amazing how well she did with this book making it look so real!

I would definitely read this to my future children, I want them to know that angels do bring down children. They are gifts from God after all.

[Shannon McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl awaits the delivery of a new sibling. As thepostman comes on horse she looks for a package big enough to be a baby brother or sister.

While the book is not a completely true story on how babies come to families, it is not one I ever thought of. It is a fun way to think of a baby coming and is probably for children under 5. The art is amazing.

Something in the pacing through me off from the story. I felt I also wanted more at the end.

Angel Coming is cute, heartwarming and visually stunning book.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book to my children when I was pregnant. It depicts childbirth as natural, something to be met at home with a midwife. The sibling tells the story and her excitement propells the story. At the end are historical facts regarding establishment of midwife centered health care in the hills of Kentucky. I loved that part in particular because my father and aunts were born in that region and my grandmother was most likely assisted by one of those midwives.

[Bethany Nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little girl in Kentucky waits for her new sibling to come, highlighting Eastern Ky's Frontier Nursing Service in the 1920s. My grandmother's family was visited by these nurses, and her birth was attended by a nurse from England. There's a family photo to prove it! Neat book focused on interesting topic

[Zonia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Referring to the tail that Appalachian parents told their children when asked where babies came from. The story refers to Mary Breckenridge, Frontier Nurse Service founder who worked in Kentucky. Notes include information about Mary Breckenridge.

[Clarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book to my children. Lovely illustrations. We enoyed learning more about the horse-back riding nurses.

[louisa]

20th century folktale from eastern Kentucky about midwives on black horses.