I bought this book years ago when my eldest was just a baby. I read this board book until I had it memorized! Both of my daughters thoroughly enjoy the book. The poem has great rhythm and rhyme. I appreciate that it is not repetitive. Asking a series of questions in first person was clever. It drew my daughters into the book.
Sometimes in board books, illustrations do not match the story. This story and illustrations match perfectly. The soft watercolors are highlighted with pencil lines with soft edges. Attention was given to having a variety of clear facial expressions. This is important in young, preschool literature. They need to feel connected.
One other aspect I like about the illustrations is the care given to have a variety of ethnic skin tones and features in the book. There are no "token" children. Rather, all of God's children are represented throughout the book. The drawings are tastefully done to not draw attention to itself but remind preschoolers God loves all children.
As a Speech Language Pathologist, and as a homeschool mom, I am always looking for quality books with not only good stories, but stories which lend themselves for spin off topics. This way, I can engage my child in tangential learning. For example, Michelle Medlock Adams mentions eggs and chocolate on the same page. After reading the book several times, I drew attention to the different foods and had a mini-language lesson: categorizing food, healthy vs. unhealthy, etc. The book is also tied to many American Easter traditions such as new clothes, egg hunts, and parades. Each of these lend themselves well for discussing their recalled life experiences. It gives them practice in telling stories. Oral story telling is a critical precursor to writing development.
We recently culled our bookshelves removing books to give away. This makes room for new books. We also have a set of "forever" books. These books are kept for my daughters to enjoy again with their future children. This book made the forever collection.