Pajama Press

Before You Were Born will be hitting shelves in a few short weeks—just in time for Mother’s Day—and to celebrate, author Deborah Kerbel and illustrator Suzanne Del Rizzo have created some sweet swag and limited edition art prints to give away to you, they’re first readers, as a way of saying “thank you” for your early support.

1. PRE-ORDER a copy of Before You Were Born from your book retailer of choice—online or bricks and mortar—before May 3^rd, 2019
2. Email us at publicity@pajamapress.ca with a photo or scan of your proof of purchase along with your mailing address under the subject line: Before You Were Born Pre Order Giveaway
3. The Top 24 Swag Pack entries will be randomly selected from the submitted receipts on May 3, 2019. We will announce the names of the Top 24 Swag Pack entries on May 8^th and all the gifts will be mailed out by the end of May

*And if you enjoy Before You Were Born please leave a review on your bookseller’s website or Goodreads

PLEASE NOTE: This giveaway is open to residents of Canada and the US only as Before You Were Born is currently only available in North America. Shipping and Handling of prizes is free to Canadian and US residents. One Swag Pack gift per pre-order.

Swag Packs:

Everyone who pre-orders a copy of Before You Were Born by May 3, 2019 will receive:

• a themed bookplate autographed by the author and illustrator
• two colouring pages based on art from the book
• a limited edition Before You Were Born ‘whales’ magnet (with envelope)

20 randomly selected entries will receive:

• everything listed above PLUS
• a Before You Were Born greeting card (one of five designs suitable for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, or New Baby)

3 randomly selected entries will receive:

• everything listed above PLUS
• a limited edition signed print, 8.5 x 11 inches and suitable for framing for a bedroom or nursery

1 randomly selected GRAND SWAG PACK entry will receive:

• everything listed above PLUS
• a one-of-a-kind Before You Were Born ‘Sun/Moon’ nightlight for your child’s bedroom or nursery
• a one-of-a-kind Before You Were Born notebook
• a hand-written, personalized letter from Deborah Kerbel and Suzanne Del Rizzo

Original post

That’s Another Story

“The story is told in a way that helps younger children connect to the feelings of sadness and fear of the refugee experience.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful, reminding me of many amazing sunsets and cloud-filled skies I have experienced.”

Click here to read the full review

ASLC Litpicks

“Canadian Suzanne Del Rizzo has created a gorgeously layered and textured vision of a refugee camp in Syria based on a true story….Politics and worldviews are conspicuously absent, as Del Rizzo’s incredibly detailed paint, Plasticine and polymer clay illustrations make Sami and the camp come to life. The camp is shown as a clean and safe place, with none of the darker elements of refugee life. This allows the focus to remain on the consequences of war for one young boy and his triumph over adversity, and brings the story to a level that young children in this country will be able to access and empathize with. A must for every school library.”

—Lissa Davies

Click here to read the full review

Kids’ Book Buzz

“I thought this book was cute. I liked the ending. All the illustrations were made with clay and paint. I thought that was neat. The art was my favorite part. The book is not that scary for little kids. People who like animals will like this book. It would be interesting to live in a place where the sun never sets.

Reviewed By: Nishaant – Age 10”

Click here to read the full review.

CanLit for Little Canadians

Children will love the story of Juno as Sun Dog, not least of which because she is an adorable dog, thanks to Suzanne Del Rizzo’s elaborate and emotive dimensional art. But I think that Deborah Kerbel’s message that ‘Juno might be little, but there’s a big dog inside her’ is a meaningful one for young children who often feel too little to do anything significant and wish to be big so they can stay up late or go somewhere alone or just not be hindered by their youth or size…

The joy of being outside and the beauty of the Arctic landscape are beautifully conveyed through Suzanne Del Rizzo’s artwork. I’ve oohed and aahed over her polymer clay and acrylic paint art that graced her own My Beautiful Birds and other picture books and Sun Dog is no exception. Those summer skies of yellow, pink, purple, and blue, with many shades in between, took me to that land of the midnight sun and the home of children who rarely saw themselves in books. Within that landscape, Suzanne Del Rizzo brought playfulness and charm, with the reality necessary to tell Deborah Kerbel’s sweet story.

It’s lovely for me to review books by creators like Deborah Kerbel and Suzanne Del Rizzo whose work I’ve seen transform and evolve with each imaginative work. Now, with their collaboration, a charming story has been synthesized from message and art into the brilliant and heart-warming combination that is Sun Dog.”

 Click here to read the full review.