Waiting for Gregory

by Kimberly Willis Holt, Gabi Swiatkowska (Illustrator)

The first picture book from National Book Award winner Kimberly Willis Holt
When exactly is cousin Gregory going to be born? asks little Iris. Each family member has a different answer to her question. While she's waiting for what seems like forever, Iris thinks about all the exciting things she and her new cousin will someday do together. And given Iris' vibrant imagination, there's no telling what to expect. National Book Award winner Kimberly Willis Holt offers a unique take on some of the traditional and not-so-traditional myths surrounding a baby's arrival, with an extra layer of imagination added by Gabi Swiatkowska's fresh and whimsical paintings.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens, Realistic Fiction

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Kimberly Willis Holt is the author of the Piper Reed series, including Piper Reed, Navy Brat, Piper Reed, Clubhouse Queen, and Piper Reed, Rodeo Star. She has written many award-winning novels, including The Water Seeker and My Louisiana Sky, as well as the picture books Waiting for Gregory and Skinny Brown Dog. A former Navy brat herself, Holt was born in Pensacola, Florida, and lived all over the U.S. and the world—from Paris to Norfolk to Guam to New Orleans. Holt long dreamed of being a writer, but first worked as a radio news director, marketed a water park, and was an interior decorator, among other jobs. A few years after she started writing, her third book, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, won a National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She resides in West Texas with her family.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/kimber...

Reviews

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet little picture book about a girl who is having a hard time waiting for her baby cousin to be born. The illustrations, reminiscent of images from the 19th century, add an unexpected and delightful dimension to the book.

My granddaughter used her little magnifying glass to look at some of the more delicate illustrations. We were both charmed by this unusual volume.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Waiting for a baby takes a long time, and all the relatives have a different story to explain it — storks, cabbages etc. Meanwhile the illustrations show people who have walked off a museum paintings walls — renaissance clothes and knickers and red cheeks. I found it a bit distracting.

[Maggie Ignasiak · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book about expecting a child! Love it!

[Mariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Illustrations were 5 stars though. :)

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Iris is getting a new baby cousin named Gregory, and she can't wait for him to arrive! The trouble is, all of the adults have a different story to explain where he comes from and when he will get here. Iris has to sift through the stories about storks and cabbages for the bits of true information like that Gregory will arrive in nine months.
It's a good book for kids who are expecting new siblings, because it captures the anticipation and frustration of the experience. It doesn't answer the question of "Where do babies come from?" but it does show that it's normal to have questions about a new baby, and it's normal not to understand everything about the arrival of a new baby. This would probably be used with early elementary students, but I'm not sure what to do with it in a classroom setting.
The illustrations worked very well for the book, which was a period story set in (although I'm not sure what year. The images have a sort of Rococo quality, full of whimsy and femininity, all in all very well suited for the book. The pictures are very forgettable, though, so they aren't as effective as they could have been. I think Iris was too generic of a character. She needed something more distinguishable in her face, and not just an unusual hair style, to help me remember her.

[Michiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

BEAUTIFUL paintings! The author wrote this book in response to her experience with her daughter waiting for her baby cousin. It's clearly told from the perspective of a parent watching her child anticipate a baby. As a 5th grade teacher, this book would be a great way to begin a conversation around the birds and the bees. It light-heartedly hits many of the stories children hear regarding where babies come from.

[(NS) Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Grade/Interest Level: K-3

Iris is anxious for her cousin Gregory to be born, but every person she asks seems to give her an even more unusual explanation of when how he will arrive, from cabbage patches to ladders in the sky. As she seeks out this information, Iris dreams of all the things she will do with her new baby cousin in the future.

[Blessy Mathew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story to about a girl named Iris who is awaiting the arrival of a new baby. Iris, asks family and friends how and when her new cousin will arrive. Well-written text for children. Universal theme. Swiatkowska uses gouache, watercolors, acrylics, enamel and tempura for the illustrations. Two-page spreads of text and illustrations. A touching story that all children will relate to.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book a lot, because it can aid in teaching about an important concept. There are many children out there with a mom who is about to have a baby. It can cause confusion to the children, so this book can help clear up any confusion a child may have about it. It also has enriching text throughout the book, I would consider this to be a very good read.

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I totally love the beautiful Victorian Steampunk-like illustrations in this cute story about Iris waiting for her cousin Gregory to be born. Will he be dropped by a stork or pulled out of a cabbage patch? How long will it be before he arrives and what fun things will Iris be able to do with her new cousin? Cute story and lovely illustrations!

[Relyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like this book a lot for the writing, but I really love it for the artist. Gabi Swiatkowska is amazing. Her art is layers and rich and unexpected. It makes me swoon. Every artist should read this book. It's just amazing.

[Caitlin Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is about a girl waiting for her baby brother to be born and how she's getting impatient waiting for him because she wants to teach him all these new things. The pictures in the book are a little dated and dull so you may lose kids there, but the storyline is alright.

[Lonica · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book about waiting for a baby to arrive--nine months IS a long time! The illustrations are different and very interesting.