Happy Mother’s Day!

For your Mother’s Day celebrations this coming weekend, consider a gift of First Laugh, Welcome Baby!. Think of the discussions you might have with your friends and family about baby-welcoming traditions the world over (presented in the back matter of our book), but especially the Navajo tradition that focuses on laughter, kindness, and sharing. Karl Barth said, “Laughter is the closest thing to the grace of God.” For the Navajo, laughter is prayer and healing. When a baby first laughs, the child is then fully human. In the spirit of my co-author and friend, Rose Ann Tahe (Navajo / Diné), our book’s talented illustrator Jonathan Nelson (Navajo / Diné), and myself, may your Mother’s Day be a time for laughter and grace.

Illustration copyright © Jonathan Nelson, from First Laugh, Welcome Baby!, Charlesbridge, 2018.