A five-year-old girl presents her mother with an unusual birthday request in this insightful tale from Robberecht. Faced with her mother’s bafflement, the child promptly provides a litany of very ingenious reasons to return to the womb—some amusing, some poignant, all very telling. Robberecht provides clues as to the impetus behind the little girl’s desires without revealing all too soon. Recurrent in her descriptions of bliss back in utero is the child’s strong desire to be close to her mother and the focus of her attention. When readers discover that a new baby brother has taken up residency inside mommy, understanding blooms and the mother quickly reassures her daughter of her continued love. An impending birthday celebration soon convinces the girl that life can be good on the outside. Goossens’s oil paintings convey the moods of the child through aptly chosen hues. His full-bleed illustrations cleverly and comically address the unique scenario of depicting a five-year old in utero. Engagingly silly yet compassionate, this is a perfect tale to present to soon-to-be or fledging siblings. (Picture book. 3-6)
