  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 11/15/2009 Eldest siblings of the world can unite behind the older sister in this picture book, who expresses her frustrations at the arrival of a new baby in rhyme: “Everything is changed. / I’m not the one and only. / My whole life’s rearranged.” The young speaker is frustrated that her new brother excels at only a few things: purloining previously spoken-for teddy bears and parental attentions, sleeping, eating, and filling his diaper. Fortunately, as the pages turn, the girl changes her tune and admits that the little guy is awfully cute and may just be of some use, once “he’s a brother, not a baby!” Appelt sums up feelings authentically in this quick, sympathetic read, and as the blues transform into a hymn, they’re accompanied by attractive, if not particularly noteworthy, illustrations. This title doesn’t break new ground, but kids may find that this offers a reassurance of love and hope for better times to come, just when they need it most. - Copyright 2009 Booklist. Bulletin for the Center... - 02/01/2010 Upon the arrival of a new baby brother, our heroine finds herself singing the blues (“‘Cause the good ol’ days are over./ It’s official, it’s the news!/ With my brand-new baby brother/ came the brand-new baby blues!”). The cadence of the rhyming story is solid, and readers-aloud with a dramatic flair will enjoy really wailing on the chorus and amusing turns of phrase (“Yikes! It’s yabba-dabba pew”). Though the big sister’s eventual conversion to affection is pretty random, the complaints are authentic and sincere (her mom doesn’t have time to play a game; the new kid is wearing her old jammies, sleeping in her old crib, and snuggling with her old teddy bear; the diapers stink; and the baby doesn’t do much of anything), and little listeners, especially those with a younger sibling, will readily identify with her frustrations. Murphy’s illustrations parallel the shift in the narrator’s perceptions, moving rapidly from cooler shades of blue, green, and gray when the little girl is deep in big-sister despair to glowing sunshine yellows and oranges when she moves into acceptance. There’s a sturdiness to the skinny-legged little girl with the football-shaped head, and her grumpy frown is as irritated as her wide, toothless grin is elated. Pair this with Henkes’ Julius, the Baby of the World (BCCB 11/90) or Weeks’ Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth! (BCCB 1/10) for a big-sister storytime, or read it on its own, preferably to the tune of a self-composed blues riff. HM - Copyright 2010 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. School Library Journal - 02/01/2010 PreS-K— Through rhyme and three repeating stanzas, a child laments about the good ol' days and realizes, "Now everything is different,/everything is changed./I'm not the one and only./My whole life's rearranged." The normal emotions of sadness, disappointment, jealousy, and anger follow when her parents shower her new brother with attention, pass her stuffed bear down to him, and share the hugs that were once all hers. Then, with just the right words from Mom and Dad about her uniqueness, and some positive observations, her attitude changes. She looks forward to the days when her new sibling will not be a baby anymore, but instead be a brother she can play catch with and a game of hide-and-seek. Oil, acrylic, and gel are used to create gentle hues. What makes this telling of the new brother/sister theme stand out is how well the verses are in sync with the illustrations, layout, and the characters' facial expressions. Great for sharing with a group or one-on-one.—Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY - Copyright 2010 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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