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When the World Was Waiting for You
What could be more heartwarming than the arrival of a new little one? The bunny family in this charming picture book celebrates all the events surrounding a birth, from readying the baby's crib to the very first visit from friends and family This new board book edition is a perfect baby shower gift, and the round edges and sturdy pages make it just right for big siblings with little hands.
26 pages, Board book
First published March 1, 2011
4 people are currently reading
71 people want to read
About the author
Gillian Shields
58 books537 followersGillian Shields was born and brought up in Yorkshire, in the north of England. As she grew up, she had two passions:books and theater. Gillian’s love of books led her to read English at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. After university she studied acting in London. She then taught in a drama school, the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts, for several years, becoming Vice Principal. She recently taught English and Drama at Beechwood Sacred Heart, a girls’ boarding school.
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
Having children gave Gillian an excuse to carry on reading children’s books, as well as a motivation to write them. She has a son and a daughter, and is married to Brian, who works for the New York Times Media Group.
Hobbies, Interests, and Enthusiasms
I am currently learning Italian (or trying to!) and have a secret fantasy about going to live on the beautiful island of Sicily one day, and having a little stone house with a lemon tree in the garden, and a view of the blue, blue sea! I am lucky, though, because I do live in a fantastic part of England, full of soft green fields and rolling hills and cottages that date back four hundred years.
I like to go for long walks and see the changes that the seasons bring, and I try to imagine how it all must have been years and years ago, and how the people lived. I was brought up in the north of England which is much more rugged and wild—the backdrop to Immortal.
I also enjoy being in the city—although I wouldn't want to live there all the time, it's fun to go window shopping or to big new exhibitions or shows, or just hang out in a coffee shop with a cappuccino and a notebook and watch the busy world go by.
Something I enjoy is painting. I have taken quite a few art classes and find it very creative to work with paint and charcoal and images instead of words, though somehow I can't help adding bits of poetry and scraps of words into my paintings, too… When I was at school, I was completely obsessed by the Pre-Raphaelites, and I love the way their art is so intertwined with poetry and stories. My best friend is an artist and she is incredibly inspiring to me.
I hate cooking but love the idea of being a good cook and welcoming all my friends and family to delicious meals. So I have lots of beautiful cookery books but I never get past the first couple of recipes. Every so often I get madly enthusiastic all over again, but it doesn't last.
When I am writing, I can't listen to music—I find it too distracting, but I love to listen to the radio when I am driving. I listen to pop music in the morning and classical music in the afternoon. That just seems right somehow. My son is really into music, so I enjoy sharing his enthusiasms. At the moment we are listening to Eminem, Akon, NDubz, Chipmunk, Kanye West, plus Greenday, Michael Jackson…the list goes on. My current absolute favorite is Paolo Nutini.
Another interest I have is this amazing charity called The Smile Train which carries out operations for disadvantaged children born with harelip/cleft palate. Sometimes I feel I don't realize how lucky I am, and so it's good to try and do something to help a child on the other side of the world who isn't so lucky. My family also tries to support Sightsavers International, who do simple cataract operations to restore the sight of hundreds of people in the developing world.
On a more self-indulgent note, I love to get to the theater whenever I can, and to the ballet, which I adore. In another fantasy life I would definitely be a ballerina!
I can't imagine getting through a day without reading or writing. I know it sounds a complete cliche, but there it is. I go to a writers' workshop once a week to meet other writers and exchange ideas and read work in progress, and that is hugely important to me. And every spare minute of the time at home I am reading, reading, reading…What would we do without stories?
Education
St Catharine's College, Cambridge University (MA in Englis
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 2, 2019
Call me cynical, but that title makes me think this book should have the subtitle, "or, How to Inflate Your Child's Ego From Day One". Let's be honest here. The "world" isn't waiting for each new baby. The family is, yes. I guess When We Were Waiting for You doesn't have quite the same ring to it, though.
I'm also confused as to why the illustrator chose to go with rabbits when the mom pops out a single kid. Rabbits are known for... well, breeding like rabbits. Isn't the average litter size around six bunnies? Why does this family have so few children? (Inquiring minds want to know.)
The illustrations are adorable, though, and show the family getting ready for the new arrival. You can tell that this bunny is going to be very loved. The rhyming text is also pretty good, and the meter didn't really trip me up.
I think maybe this is just a case of an unfortunate title. Or maybe I'm feeling a little jaded because I just read another picture book that pinned all the hopes and dreams of the parents on a poor little baby. This particular book doesn't make me feel nearly as wary, though, as it's simply an appreciation of a brand new life without the undercurrent of expectations.
I'm also confused as to why the illustrator chose to go with rabbits when the mom pops out a single kid. Rabbits are known for... well, breeding like rabbits. Isn't the average litter size around six bunnies? Why does this family have so few children? (Inquiring minds want to know.)
The illustrations are adorable, though, and show the family getting ready for the new arrival. You can tell that this bunny is going to be very loved. The rhyming text is also pretty good, and the meter didn't really trip me up.
I think maybe this is just a case of an unfortunate title. Or maybe I'm feeling a little jaded because I just read another picture book that pinned all the hopes and dreams of the parents on a poor little baby. This particular book doesn't make me feel nearly as wary, though, as it's simply an appreciation of a brand new life without the undercurrent of expectations.
September 21, 2023
One of those cute books to give at a baby shower. I loved it and think my older kids would have fun reading to their baby brother. We won't purchase simply bc there is a whole part about visitors and we don't do visitors with newborns 😂 but adorable and very sweet
August 24, 2019
Very cute illustrations in pastel colors with the style of Peter Rabbit. It's about the arrival of a baby into the world.
October 7, 2011
No doubt a lot of expectant mothers will receive this sweet picture book to be read to their newborn children. In this version of the birth story, a rabbit family eagerly awaits the birth of a baby rabbit. They prepare the nursery and ready the crib and wait. Once the baby arrives, it becomes the center of their universe with everyone vying to hold the little one. Along with affection, the baby also is the focus of many great expectations for the future. The watercolor illustrations are filled with soft colors and show the many ways love is expressed for the child.
The book certainly has a positive message and encouraging tone although it is a bit too sweet for my taste. Still, families with a new baby will want to add this one to their collection.
The book certainly has a positive message and encouraging tone although it is a bit too sweet for my taste. Still, families with a new baby will want to add this one to their collection.
November 21, 2017
Gentle new baby story
December 19, 2017
Great book for parents with a new baby.
February 18, 2018
The story is really sweet and sentimental, but the illustrations top it!
August 20, 2018
Adorable sparse rhyming text with a little rabbit family!
February 9, 2019
Very adorable story for children.
May 27, 2020
Loved the beauty, simplicity and thoughtful message.
August 4, 2020
Another touching note to newborn babies with the predictably saccharine pictures, bound to make new parents cry.
June 22, 2021
When the World Was Waiting for You is a cute book about preparing for a baby to arrive and what happens after they are born. It would be a nice book to read to newborns/infants.
December 31, 2021
Very cute book about arrival of new baby
September 26, 2012
I hate to use a cheesy word like tender, but this book was SO TENDER! Ah! :-) I love bunnies and this was just so tender and soft and sweet!! It talks about the day you were born. As I child I was told by my mom that I was wanted and waited for. That always brought a sense of security for me in my life. This book relays to kids that they were anticipated and wanted and loved-- a sentiment I wish for all babies who come into the world! Just a sweet book for maybe a new brother or sister or talking about a new baby in the house...SUCH A SWEET BOOK!!!
April 28, 2011
Beautiful water color illustrations paint the perfect picture for this sweet story about welcoming a new baby to the family. I think it's a great book to give to any new parent and toddler or young child who's about to welcome a little baby in their family. It will help kids understand what's going to be happen and what the excitement is all about.
June 24, 2021
Such a precious book! Darling illustrations of a rabbit family waiting for and welcoming a new bunny. The text warmly tells the story in simple verse. Perfect for someone expecting a baby (like Sara)!
November 3, 2015
What a lovely book!!! From the rhymes and watercolor illustrations, but mostly to the way it shows how much they want and love the baby, this book is certainly a wonderful gift not only to the expectant, but to the new parents as well!!!
March 29, 2011
A little more sugar than I care for, but would make a great gift for a new mom or young sibling. I enjoyed the watercolor illustrations.
April 2, 2011
A sweet book to give new parents.
April 7, 2011
I like the illustrations better than the story.
April 21, 2011
Sweet, but definitely a gift book for the mamas rather than the babies!
June 30, 2011
Heavy on the "Awww" factor.
July 7, 2011
Lovely illustrations. A perfect gift for the mother-to-be and newborn.
August 5, 2011
Buy this for that pregnant friend or new mom in your life. Perfect for reading to that newborn as you rock them back to sleep. Think fans of Love You Forever by Robert Munsch would like this book.
October 9, 2011
I am sucker for bunnies, what can I say? I liked this sweet book about welcoming a new baby into the world. I'm sending my copy to my new little granddaughter, so her family can share it.
September 12, 2016
great gift and great to read babies. the love in your voice fosters a love of words.
October 9, 2012
One of my favorite books to read with my daughter. On my emotional days it even makes me cry and she really enjoys the rhyme in the story and the pictures.
November 11, 2012
It's comforting to know that a lot of ppl were waiting and a lot of preparation took place
I loved this book
I loved this book
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews