In the beginning, there was only darkness, and then a great ray of light ended the darkness and the world was born, the world of a thousand thousand things. It was filled with light. Then something unexpected happened, and the light of the world broke into millions of sparks of light. These sparks fell everywhere. They fell into everyone and everything. This is why you were born and I was born, and why everyone was born—to find the light and change the world. The Birthday of the World is a beautiful retelling, by a beloved author, of a timeless story about finding light in the darkness, one spark at a time.

Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, or Dr. Rachel, as she is known, is a pediatrician, professor of family medicine at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine, and clinical professor of family and community medicine at UCSF School of Medicine. In addition, she is the author of the internationally best-selling and beloved Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather's Blessings. This is her debut book for children. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. Rachell Sumpter is a fine artist and illustrator. Her books include Down Under the Pier and Keeper of Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog, both published by Cameron Kids. She lives with her family in Washington.