On the Day You Were Born reminds us of the wonderful gifts that we are given at birth, the same gifts that we receive again every day of our lives. Far richer and more wonderful than the wishes of Sleeping Beauty's fairies are our sibling creatures here on earth, the kiss of gravity that keeps us near, the burning sun that lights our sky, the quiet moon that soothes our nights, the sea, the rain, the trees and the air. Debra Frasier's story shows us all that we have to be thankful for, inviting us to rejoice in our world. Her soft words assure every child that they are indeed desired and welcome, that they have a place of belonging in this gently spinning planet. Implicit in the text is a respect for every creature of the earth, and a recognition of other spirits as kindred family.

At the end of the book, Frasier offers a brief introduction to the natural concepts that underlie the story, including migration patterns, the earth's spin and the pull of gravity, the sun and the glow of the moon, the tides, water vapor, photosynthesis and the atmosphere. This is a unique and rather beautiful way to marry the poetic prose of the story with naturalistic information; children who are ready and interested in learning more about the physical processes of the earth can do so, while younger children can simply enjoy the lullaby-like main text. Incorporating nonfiction with spirited story in this way also serves to reintegrate science with faith, refuting the notion that the two are fully separable entities. On the Day You Were Born rightfully holds a place on both fiction and nonfiction shelves; similar to the style and intent of traditional oral storytelling, this book imparts many kinds and layers of truth.