When You Were Just a Heartbeat    by Laurel Molk Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2004 (2004) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Whether the family is expecting a new member, or you simply want to explain to a child where babies come from, When You Were Just a Heartbeat does a lovely job of presenting a baby's development through the months of pregnancy. The reader is gently taken through the seasons (illustrated in stunning watercolors) as the child develops inside its mother. Natural events resonate with what's happening inside Mom's tummy. Baby begins to kick as newborn lambs wobble onto their feet for the first time; baby hears along with an outpouring of birdsong outdoors; baby opens his or her eyes at the same time as the purple iris unfolds its petals in the garden. Though the ending is just a little flat after the glories that precede it, it does reinforce how much that chubby infant is loved before and after birth ... 'we'll always keep on loving you.' Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews