Special Delivery

'This was such a fun read. The illustrations are thoughtful and really pop, especially as the babies start piling up! A great read for all kids, but especially those expecting a little addition to the family.' -- Mr. Alex's Bookshelf



'A fun colorful story with simple text for when you are expecting the unexpected. Turtle is helping the stork deliver ‘special delivery’ new babies to their families. He makes a mistake and delivers them all to the duck who is waiting for the delivery of her brother. Finally, the stork arrives and gets everyone delivered to their rightful place. A sweet read aloud to share as a family with little ones when the family is expecting a new baby. It would be a great baby shower gift.' -- Youth Services Book Review

'This book is a visual delight, with Elliot Kruszynski’s fresh and colourful illustrations complementing the playful narrative perfectly. Kruszynski plays with the text layout, making it more irregular as the little duck becomes increasingly exhausted by the influx of babies.' -- Paper Ren

'This is a light-hearted and unique approach to the topic of a new arrival, from a sibling’s perspective. The playful illustrations, humorous tone and light-hearted narrative make this book a pleasure to read aloud, but may also suit developing readers. This book is an excellent and alternative choice for a conversation starter on the subject of new arrivals with young siblings-to-be.'

'Charming and boldly drawn illustrations add humour to the situation. A perfect book for sharing with young readers who will appreciate the arrival of favourite animals! A lovely book to share with children in an expecting family waiting for their own new arrival.' -- My Shelves Are Full

'Children who will soon become older siblings will love this story’s silliness. The repetitive nature of the text, presented as floating dialogue in the illustrated scenes, is a welcome, predictable feature for young children, though the higher vocabulary level promotes possible use as a read-aloud experience between parent and child. But the impression that new additions to a family, or its existing members, must all look alike is a worrisome perception and may require further discussion. Keeping things humorous are Kruszynski’s illlustrations; he segments the space cleanly to mold bubbly, brightly colored characters from simple, flat color planes to match the playful vibe of the animals’ growing frenzy.VERDICT This funny read-aloud has a big heart.' -- School Library Journal

'I loved the fact that many of the illustrations are made from fairly simple shapes that older children, perhaps sharing this book with a younger sibling, could emulate to enhance their own artistic skills. I especially liked the double page spread that is all illustration where images can be shared, discussed and numeracy introduced, perhaps counting the number of wrong babies that have arrived or looking at emotions through the expressions on the mother bird’s face. Indeed, there’s considerable potential for interaction with Special Delivery.'

Learning aside, the story is lovely. I can see Special Delivery helping parents introduce the concept of a new baby to young children so that they are helped to adjust to a changing household. I think it would work well with adoptive children too, making sure they know how special they are once the correct baby arrives. With the wrong animal babies being delivered until a very special delivery of the correct baby for the house there’s good humour that children will love. Repetition of key phrases builds language confidence for young children, adding in an almost pantomime feel that appeal to children and adults alike.'

Special Delivery is a super children’s book. It’s bright, colourful and charmingly presented. I know exactly who I’m sharing my copy with!' -- Linda's Book Bag

'Tonight we reached the end of our most recent bookpost and found a book that had us both laughing lots – Special Delivery by Elliot Kruszynski.

This is such a fun book, each spread thoughtfully laid out to build anticipation for what is coming next! The repetition of ‘Ding dong! Special delivery,’ had us giggling and made joining in and taking turns easy and fun. As the babies piled up, the laughter grew, right through to the happy ending! The illustrations are lots of fun, particularly once the house starts filling up! Loads of scope for fun at bedtime, T even started suggesting his own special deliveries (he had footballer, lion and dinosaur) before declaring, “that was really fun!” Winner!' -- Father Reading & T

'Readers will find themselves chortling along with the humorous premise and illustrations full of enjoyable details. Fun premise, humorous illustrations, and a great time all around.' -- BookRoo