A sweet treat becomes a source of contention between two sisters in this wry tale about sibling relations and the art of sharing. Sheila Rae savors her peppermint candy; relishing its stripy-ness, its thinness, and most of all its toothsome taste. Enter Louise, her younger sister, who would like a sample. In true older-sibling fashion, Sheila Rae establishes a series of nearly impossible tasks for Louise to accomplish in order to have a taste—estimating the correct number of stripes on the candy, dangling it just out of reach—all of which Louise fails. Sheila Rae is lamenting, with just a small smirk, the fact that she doesn’t have two candies when Fate intervenes with a misstep that lands Sheila in a heap and the candy in two pieces. Henkes (Wemberly Worried, 2000, etc.) presents a kid’s-eye view of sibling interactions, deftly portraying the teasing that is part and parcel of these relationships. He does temper Sheila Rae’s superiority in the final page, showing her embracing her little sister and declaring “I was going to give you some all along!” Despite it’s chunky board-book format, this will find a ready and appreciative audience among the preschool set. Expressive illustrations, rendered in a pastel bouquet of hues, offer a comical perspective on a familiar scenario. A winsome introduction to Henkes for younger audiences and, rarest of all, just the right amount of art for a board book. (Board book. 2-5)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-06-029451-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2001
The combination of lovingly humorous and detailed mixed-media illustrations and infectious rhymes will cause little ones and...
More than skin deep, this rhyming paean to diversity offers readers an array of families of all colors and orientations, living and loving one another in a vibrant city setting.
A giggling baby is tummy-tickled by her white and black mothers (or white mother and black father—impressively, the illustration leaves room for interpretation) in New York’s Central Park in its summertime glory. "This is how we all begin: / small and happy in our skin." This celebration of skin not only extols the beauty and value of various skin colors, but also teaches the importance of skin as an essential body part: “It keeps the outsides out / and your insides in.” Park, public-pool, and block-party scenes allow readers to luxuriate in a teeming city where children of all colors, abilities, and religions enjoy their families and neighbors. The author and illustrator do not simply take a rote, tokenistic approach to answering the cry for diverse books; the words and pictures depict a much-needed, realistic representation of the statement “it takes a village to raise a child” when a child skins her knee and many rush to her aid and comfort. Though her palette of browns is a little limited, Tobia creates sheer joy with her depictions of everything from unibrows, dimples, and birthmarks to callouts to recognizable literary characters.
The combination of lovingly humorous and detailed mixed-media illustrations and infectious rhymes will cause little ones and their families to pore over this book again and again. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7002-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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