Carol Kirkham Martin (Children's Literature)
While big sister enumerates the many advantages of being a big girl, baby does what babies do, oblivious to all the fuss. At home, around town, or in school, big sister lists the advantages of being grown up and not a baby. Babies cannot do anything on their own. They need help eating, taking a bath, sitting in a chair, riding in a car, and worst of all, a baby’s toys are boring. Babies do not have friends, not even the family pet likes a baby, because a baby pulls their tail; however, big sisters can make babies feel better when they are scared at night. The whimsical illustrations done in primary colors help to create a book that appears to be the work of a big sister. Parents and counselors may find this text useful when helping a sibling adjust to the birth of a new baby. 2007, Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House, $15.99. Ages 3 to 5.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices 2008)
Unlike most of the picture books about new babies that deal with the jealousy an older sibling, this one focuses on the things an older sibling can do that a baby can’t. It cleverly helps to build the older child’s self-esteem while showing what life with a new baby is like. The older sister here is a confident, chatty girl who is eager to tell us just how boring it is to be a baby, like her little brother. He can’t talk or do anything for himself, he has to eat boring food and play with boring toys, he has no real friends, is unpopular with cats, and can’t even face the right direction while riding in the car. The older sister makes being a baby sound entirely unappealing. By the end of the story, however, the big sister makes it clear that she loves her little brother and is looking forward to the day when he’ll be old enough for some real fun. Spritely watercolor illustrations show an energetic little girl, in charge of her world, and her roly-poly baby brother who is destined to be her sidekick. CCBC Category: Picture Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers. 2007, Schwartz & Wade, 32 pages, $15.99. Ages 3-7.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 2))
A precocious big sister enumerates the discommodious nature of babyhood in this sassy tale. With unreserved glee, big sister dishes on the many pitfalls her younger sibling must endure. Included in her diatribe are hilarious asides that extol—naturally—her own superior position as the independent oldest. While Lloyd-Jones begins her story on a comical note, she deftly conveys the angry/wistful tumult of emotions children often feel when confronted with the arrival of a new addition. The acerbic tone of the older sibling may at times seem a bit much, but her wry musings are on target: Of the drawbacks of an infant carrier, she states “When you’re a baby, / you don’t carry a backpack. / You go in one.” Midway through her baby rant, the older sister’s monologue begins to convey softer, more poignant reflections, and the tale concludes on a fond note. Heap’s acrylic-and-crayon illustrations feature pastel hues. Her comic-book–style sketches artfully capture the spunk of the older sister, while her use of the scrapbook–like lists, further detailing a baby’s shortcomings, “written” by the sister, add both humor and interest. A perfect antidote to the new-baby blues for siblings. 2007, Schwartz & Wade/Random, 40p, $15.99. Category: Picture book. Ages 4 to 8. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Hope Morrison (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, April 2007 (Vol. 60, No. 8))
In this entertaining tale, a six-year-old big sister records her observations of what exactly it means to be a baby, from being in a crib and wearing pajamas to not having hair and not eating normal food. It won’t take the listener long to realize that this is really an extended tribute to all the amazing and wonderful things a six-year-old can do, like face the right way in the car, eat chocolate ice cream, use scissors, and do arithmetic. The child perspective is spot on; it is clear that the baby is missing out on all the wonderful things in life that are at the center of the six-year-old world. What is most successful about the story is the original take on sibling relations; it doesn’t overtly address resentment or jealousy or adjustment issues (though this will be a great salve for kids struggling with these issues) but humorously acknowledges that babies and kids are different and can do different things. In a thoughtfully developed ending, the big sister lists the baby’s current and somewhat questionable strengths (burping, peeing, pooping, etc.), but then anticipates her baby brother growing up and joining her world (when he will follow her, copy her, and sit in her fort and share secrets). Heap’s playful mixed-media illustrations offer lots of exuberant interpretations of the story, at times providing literal depictions of the little girl’s outlandish descriptions (so that when she states “When you’re a baby, you don’t sit on a chair. You are tied to it,” the illustration features a confused infant strapped to a chair by an assortment of different lengths of cord). There’s plenty to pore over in the detail-rich scenes, and the childlike but deft lines match the text’s exuberance while the candy colors sweeten the text’s edge. This is perfect family fare and a welcome departure from storybooks that assume the worst when a new life joins the family. Review Code: R* -- Recommended. A book of special distinction. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2007, Schwartz & Wade, 32p., $17.99 and $15.99. Ages 5-8 yrs.