Children's Book Review for As You Grew by Dana Moneymaker

 

As You Grew by Dana Moneymaker

Published:  May 6, 2025 by Blue Balloon Books

Taken from Amazon:  “In the blink of an eye, the whole year went by. The little boy grew up yet another size. Looking down on her son while beaming with pride, she thought of the future with tears in her eyes.”

Children grow up so fast! And loved ones can’t help but cling to the reminders of how small they used to be. While those little moments can move quickly, As You Grew, using precious illustrations, pauses throughout a child’s first year to help you cherish your little one’s growth and honor all the well-worn and well-loved items that come along on their journey.

Drawing from the experience of watching her son grow during those first precious months of life when the world seems to spin too fast, Dana Moneymaker began to weave together a beautiful narrative as she rocked her baby at naptime and at night. Part celebration, part mourning, As You Grew will resonate with parents as they read Dana’s story of welcoming each new stage of babyhood while simultaneously waving goodbye to the last.

With a sweet, lilting rhyme scheme, Dana Moneymaker details the aging of her own little boy as he grows before her very eyes and the memory box of treasures she keeps for him. Including a First Words Image Library, this heartfelt story can be read alongside your growing child at bedtime, helping them take the next step in their seemingly fast-paced journey.

As You Grew takes treasured moments and stows them away for safekeeping, reminding you to appreciate every second and showing readers that as a child grows, so does our love for them.

My Thoughts:  As You Grew is a great memory book.   The mother shares her memories of her little boy grows up.  The small changes that happen with each milestone of the little boys growth brings memories, which the mother can keep in her special box.  I liked that all the memories were tied to what he wore but the memory itself was not about the clothes.   There were memories of foods he ate, toys he played with, or how he learned to walk.  

This is a fun book to read to your child, especially if you have a memory box that you can share with them too.

Thank you Blue Balloon Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

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Meet the Author (taken from Amazon):  Dana Moneymaker grew up loving to read children’s books and writing “stories” at the desk in her childhood bedroom. She dreamed of being a writer, and by the time she went off to college, her goal was to become a magazine editor. She earned a bachelor of science in .communications from New York University, landed internships with Brides and Vogue magazines, and ultimately spent the majority of her career as a marketing professional in the beauty industry. After becoming a mom, she returned to her slower-paced roots and now lives in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with her husband, Jay, and her son, Aiden, who loves to read (much to his mother’s delight).