ON THE DAY YOU WERE BORN

On the Day You Were Born
Welcome a newborn.
Add baby's footprints!

Winner of the Gold Parents’ Choice Award

NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children

Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies

Parents Choice Gold Award
Spike: Ugliest Dog in the Universe Miss Alaineus: A Vocabulary Disaster by Debra Frasier On the Day You Were Born A Birthday Cake Is No Ordinary Cake A Fabulous Fair Alphabet The Incredible Water Show by Debra Frasier Out of the Ocean by Debra Frasier
Pet Story
Workshop		 Vocabulary
Parades		 Birthday Celebrations,
Writing Workshop, and a Play		 Alphabet Fair
Word Carnival		 A Water
Play		 Outdoor
Collecting

BOOK EVENT: Build Vocabulary, Creativity & Community

On the Day You Were Born Book Event

Write and illustrate a book that will become
a family treasure. Download the PDF guide here.

Stage a Play

Stage an On the Day You Were Born Play Using simple cardboard cut outs and the 80 lines of text,
stage a magical welcome. Include science facts from the glossary, too!
(Download PDF)
On the Day You Were Born - backstage at the play     On the Day You Were Born puppets for theater

Personalize Your Book

“...and as much as [our son] loved Elmo, computers, and tech stuff, he loved this book more than anything. I read it to him at least twice a day, and always twice before bed...”

– J.M., father
Add baby footprints to your book! Baby coming?
Carry On the Day You Were Born to the hospital. Stamp the newborn’s footprints inside. Invite doctors and nurses to sign!
Add an inscription. Child grown?
Glue in baby photos, look up the weather, current events and record birth day memories. Encourage additions from the next generation.

Writing and Cut Paper Book Project

 
Project samples

Use this writing and art curriculum as the prompts for creating a booklet commemorating your birth day. Include: time of day, season of birth, animal welcome and more.
(Download PDF)

About the Book

“Long before I could read,
I knew your verses by heart, hearing them in my mind at the turn of each page! They helped me to learn to love words that feel like a song.

…before I could walk I traveled to faraway places, and discovered the beauty and science of the Earth in your book.”

– Nicholas B. age 10
Illustration from On the Day You Were Born

On the day you were born
the round planet Earth
turned toward your
morning sky,
whirling past darkness,
spinning the night into light.

On the Day You Were Born written and illustrated by Debra Frasier, is considered a modern children's classic. The lyric text welcomes each child to the every day miracles of planet Earth – the Sun, Moon, North Star, wind, rain, tides and the circle of people awaiting each child. With over one million copies in print, this book has been present for the arrival of newborns, birthdays from one to ninety one, as well as school celebrations and church events. Sometimes copies are carried to the hospital where the dedication page is stamped with the footprints of the infant, and signed by the doctors, nurses and visitors.

On the Day You Were Born
Illustration from On the Day You Were Born

And as they held you
close they whispered
in your open, curving ear,
“ We are so glad you've come!”