Kathryn Erskine (Children's Literature)
In this fun and funny book for young readers, renowned author, Judy Blume, brings back the characters of her 1984 hit picture book to present both sides of the sibling story in this all-new chapter book. An older sister (a.k.a the Great One) and younger brother (a.k.a. the Pain) tell their stories in alternating chapters. Each chapter is a vignette, although there are themes that carry throughout--such as the Great One’s fear of riding a bike--which are resolved by the end of the book. With an authentic feel and voice, the children tell of birthday parties ruined due to illness, wrestle with what’s a story and what’s a lie, and justify foibles such as haircut fears and picky eating. Younger children will identify with the thoughts and emotions presented by both siblings and, in the end, will understand that the two do indeed care about each other. This work has been generously and charmingly illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist James Stevenson, ensuring that readers will feel the characters’ emotions and empathize or laugh along with them from scene to scene. These appealing, cartoon-like black and white sketches help explain the story to beginning readers. 2007, Delacorte, $12.99. Ages 5 to 10.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2007 (Vol. 75, No. 13))
Once again, Blume shows off her pitch-perfect understanding of childhood anxieties and family dynamics. In alternating first-person chapters, siblings Jacob (the Pain) and Abigail (the Great One) describe a series of Saturday adventures, including visits to Mr. Soupy's hair cuttery, an unsuccessful sleepover and lively dog-sitting. First-grader Jake learns to like soccer league when he gets to play something besides goalie, and third-grader Abigail finally masters riding a bike. Each short chapter begins with a picture of the speaker, and all are liberally illustrated with Stevenson's sketches. Aimed at a younger audience than many of her books, the humor and convincing dialogue will keep new readers going. Jacob and Abigail first appeared in "The Pain and the Great One" in Marlo Thomas's collection Free to be . . . You and Me (1974); that story was illustrated and republished on its own with the same title in 1984. This welcome new collection should attract a new generation of readers. 2007, Delacorte, 128p, $12.99. Category: Fiction. Ages 6 to 9. © 2007 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Kaylia Thomas (Library Media Connection, November/December 2007)
With characters that children can relate to, Judy Blume brings out a brother and sister duo. The siblings, aka The Pain and The Great One, share different stories about one another. Alternating between the two, random stories are told about typical kids issues like soccer and learning to ride a bike. Readers will have to observe the different characters' image at the beginning of each chapter to understand which point of view the story is being told from. Overall, this book is a simple read and has cute characters, but no real plot to connect the entire book together. Additional Selection. 2007, Delacorte Press (Random House), 128pp., $12.99 hc. Ages 8 to 11.

Hope Morrison (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, October 2007 (Vol. 61, No. 2))
Legendary siblings from Blume’s The Pain and the Great One (BCCB 11/84), first-grader Jake (the Pain) and third-grader Abigail (the Great One) are back in seven new stories highlighting the joys and frustrations of sibling relations. The chapters, which alternate narration between Jake and Abigail, feature their day-to-day trials and tribulations: buying new shoes, learning to ride a bike, playing in a soccer league, having a sleepover party. The character development is solid and entertaining; readers learn about each of the kids from both siblings’ points of view, which results in a rich portrayal of motivation and a fair dose of humor. The story plots themselves are generally less exciting than the character studies within them, however, and the chapters sometimes tail off disappointingly rather than satisfactorily concluding. Stevenson’s lively black-and-white watercolors add a touch of rumpled whimsy, and the simple line compositions are rich with energy. The short chapters can also work as standalone stories or a sequential readaloud, while those just tackling chapter books will find this a good choice Review Code: Ad -- Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. (c) Copyright 2006, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2007, Delacorte, 108p., $16.99 and $12.99. Grades 2-4.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2008)
This book for emerging readers is alternatingly narrated by the Pain (first-grader Jake) and the Great One (third-grader Abigail). Even though they drive each other nuts, it's clear that they care about one another. Blume gets the tone just right as this brother and sister team navigates the waters of family life. The whole package is enhanced by Stevenson's droll pen-and-ink illustrations. Category: Younger Fiction. 2007, Delacorte, 111pp, 12.99, 15.99. Ages 5 to 9. Rating: 2: Superior, well above average.