My Brother Jimi Jazz

by Christine Butler

[2006. Australia: Like Mind, www.chrissybutler.com, 33 pages, paperback.]

[Review first published in Midwifery Today Issue 84, Winter 2007, © 2007, Midwifery Today, Inc. Review by Jill Cohen.]

Only a few books bring tears to my eyes, and this is one of them! I am not sure if it is artist Chrissy Butler’s graceful way with words or the stunning illustrations that capture me most. This is a perfect story to share with children before they attend a birth. It is told through the eyes of Trinity, Jimi’s big sister, who explains how her family readies themselves for a homebirth. She explains how they prepare and freeze meals for the “baby moon” time. She shares how everything is ready for baby and wonders whether the baby will take her place in the bed next to Mum and Dad. She expresses her feelings about the birth and gives great perspective from a child’s point of view. This book is a delight to read and look at. Your children will learn about birth while enjoying the story.

Reviewer Jill Cohen lives in Gates, Oregon, with her husband and two of her four children. After practicing as a lay midwife for 20 years, she has now returned to school to get a nursing degree.