Big Sisters Are the Best

by Fran Manushkin, Kirsten Richards (Illustrator)

Overview

Becoming a big sister is an exciting time full of smiles, smells, hugs, and kisses. This is the perfect book for transitioning a toddler into siblinghood. It helps young ones prepare for a new baby and also focuses on all of the things a big sister can do that a baby can't do.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781404872257
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	01/01/2012
Series:	Fiction Picture Books
Pages:	24
Sales rank:	79,292
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 7.10(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	AD490L (what's this?)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Fran Manushkin is the author of many popular picture books, including How Mama Brought the Spring; Baby, Come Out!; Latkes and Applesauce: A Hanukkah Story; and The Tushy Book. There is a real Katie Woo — she's Fran's great-niece — but she never gets in half the trouble of the Katie Woo in the books. Fran writes on her beloved MacBook in New York City.

Editorial Reviews

New additions to a family may be hard for children to accept, and this simple story follows a young girl as she learns to love her new sibling and to help her parents care for "our baby.". . .The message here is positive, accentuated by the illustrations depicting rosy cheeks and smiling faces amid at atmosphere of trust, love, and acceptance. This would be a great title for anyone whose family is growing larger.

Reading Today Online blog

PreS-Gr 1—These two books are identical with the exception of the illustrations and a few word substitutions. The stories follow a preschooler who has just become an older sibling. The narrator tells what it is like to be a big brother or sister, explaining things like sleeping in a big bed versus a crib, that babies can be loud when they are hungry or when they need a new diaper, that you need to be quiet when they're asleep, and that you need to be gentle when you hug them. Manushkin also emphasizes that even older siblings aren't too big to be held on Mommy's lap or ride on Daddy's back and that having alone time with the parent is still especially important for them. In Brothers, the child plays with traditional toys like trucks and makes castles, while in Sisters the youngster paints and plays with a baby doll. These gender stereotypes aside, the books are excellent introductions to the topic and could be greatly utilized.—Lora Van Marel, Orland Park Public Library, IL

School Library Journal