title
Illustration from On the Day You Were Born On the day you were born the round planet Earth turned toward your morning sky, whirling past darkness, spinning the night into light.

On the Day You Were Born, written and illustrated by Debra Frasier, is considered a modern children's classic. The lyric text welcomes each child to the every day miracles of planet Earth – the sun, moon, North Star, wind, rain, tides and the circle of people awaiting each child. With over one million copies in print, this book has been present for the arrival of newborns, birthdays from one to ninety one, as well as school celebrations and church events. Sometimes copies are carried to the hospital where the dedication page is stamped with the footprints of the infant, and signed by the doctors, nurses and visitors.

Book jacket
Illustration from On the Day You Were Born And as they held you
close they whispered
in your open, curving ear,
" We are so glad you've come!"
Awards for On the Day You Were Born
  • Parent’s Choice Gold Award
  • Hungry Mind Review Book of Distinction
  • Notable Children’s Trade Book in Language Arts
  • NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children
  • Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
  • ABC Children’s Bookseller’s Choice
  • Reading Rainbow, Feature Selection
Classroom Support

Click on icon to download a PDF file of each curriculum guide.

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I AM UNIQUE! A cut-paper portrait reproducible. Just add construction paper, scissors and glue.

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Bring On the Day You Were Born, THE PLAY...Stage your own version of this story! Stage directions and prop instructions included in four easy-to-follow pages. ocean to you! Simple directions for creating a classroom Photo Booth.

A Birthday Cake Is No Ordinary Cake | The Incredible Water Show | On the Day You Were Born | Miss Alaineus, A Vocabulary Disaster
Out of the Ocean | The Animal That Drank Up Sound | We Got Here Together | In the Space of the Sky