Ready, Set. . . Baby!

by Elizabeth Rusch, Qin Leng (Illustrator)

Overview

What kids can expect when they’re expecting siblings—full of solid information, kid-friendly humor, and even tips for parents.

In a fresh picture book/comic style, Ready, Set…Baby offers up a funny, loving, reassuring peek into life as a big brother or sister.

Anna and Oliver, big siblings extraordinaire, are here to tell you what to expect when your family is expecting—and what life will really be like once a new baby arrives. The dynamic duo covers everything from naptime to stinky diapers and from holding the baby to deciphering your baby’s body language. They even offer up helpful ideas for parents on how to make life as a big brother or sister as filled with fun—and love—as it can be!

So get ready…get set…it’s time to welcome a new baby!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781328694447
Publisher:	Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Publication date:	06/11/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	32
Lexile:	AD560L (what's this?)
File size:	15 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

The award-winning freelance writer Elizabeth Rusch is the author of a number of award-winning nonfiction titles for children, including: Generation Fix, Will it Blow?,The Planet Hunter, and For the Love of Music: The Remarkable Story of Maria Anna Mozart. Her previous Scientists in the Field titles include Eruption!, The Mighty Mars Rovers and The Next Wave. Elizabeth lives in Portland, Oregon, with her family. You can visit Liz online at www.elizabethrusch.com and follow her on Twitter @elizabethrusch.Qin Leng was born in Shanghai, and lived in France and Montreal. She now lives and works as a designer and illustrator in Toronto. To learn more, visit qinleng.tumblr.com

Editorial Reviews

11/21/2016
Rusch (Electrical Wizard) and Leng (A Family Is a Family Is a Family) assuage readers’ anxieties about new arrivals by channeling their advice through two elementary-school-age siblings who have just welcomed a baby to their house. Anna and Oliver star in the book’s many vignettes and address readers directly (think House of Cards without the menace), providing frank, this-too-shall-pass answers that reflect the realities of living with a newborn and their own sibling solidarity (displacement issues are barely addressed, even though Anna, who seems older than Oliver, must have felt them when he came along). Several pages are devoted to poop (“We were not prepared for how many times a day our baby would need a diaper change”), and the siblings note that—contrary to what well-meaning adults assert—babies are hardly new playmates. “Playing with a new baby is like playing with a loaf of bread,” Anna says. Leng’s matter-of-fact, well-observed cartooning, reminiscent of classic family magazines, underscores the book’s levelheaded, soothing message: you got this. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. Illustrator’s agency: Shannon Associates. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"...a blend of genuinely useful tips and good humor, in a sympathetic but matter-of-fact approach..."
–Bulletin

"Softly colored, jaunty cartoon drawings with dialogue bubbles match the cheery tone of the text. A baby with older siblings as enlightened as Anna and Oliver is one lucky baby."
–Booklist

"Lighthearted and funny, this is an ideal book to share with soon-to-be big brothers and sisters."
–School Library Journal

"In keeping with the book's humor and general good cheer, Leng's spirited watercolors bring both the chaos and the charm of babies to vibrant life... Expect older kids to go gaga over this informative little guide."
–Kirkus

From the Publisher

12/01/2016
PreS-K—Anna and Oliver take readers on a whirlwind tour of life with a brand-new baby in the house. With a conversational style, the siblings address readers directly, offering information and advice based on their own experiences: "Lots of people are probably telling you what to expect, but kids in the know can give you the real deal." Anna, the older of the pair, imparts simple facts such as, "Moms have a special compartment inside for growing babies." Oliver, the younger sibling, expresses common emotions including wonder and boredom. While waiting for the baby to arrive, he thinks, "This is worse than waiting for pizza to be delivered." The big brother and sister present useful guidance on everything from how to hold a newborn (sit down, cradle its head, speak softly) to diaper changes (it's not that bad) to accepting that infants are not yet equipped to play ("playing with a new baby is like playing with a loaf of bread."). The content centers on what happens after the baby comes home; the author doesn't discuss how the baby gets into Mom's "special compartment." Leng's vignette-style cartoons add humor and capture the family's wide range of facial expressions, body language, and feelings—from anxious anticipation to quiet surprise. Speech bubbles break up the text and highlight some of the siblings' more personal reactions ("WHAT IS THAT?" Oliver asks while pointing to the baby's "little black stump" of an umbilical cord). Back matter steers interested children and caregivers to additional material, including websites and books such as Robie H. Harris's What's in There: All About Before You Were Born. There are even tips for parents on how to help a child adjust to a new sibling. VERDICT Lighthearted and funny, this is an ideal book to share with soon-to-be big brothers and sisters.—Kiera Parrott, School Library Journal

School Library Journal

2016-11-23
What to expect when mommy's done expecting. While the bulk of new-baby books zero in on the infant in utero, Rusch's informs siblings about what goes down after the arrival. Narrating from their own experience, light-skinned siblings Anna and Oliver provide a practical guide to everything a new sibling will need to know about the baby. Whether it's the baby's initial appearance ("red, wrinkly skin with little bumps all over her face"), its limited mobility and facial expressions, or umbilical stumps, Rusch keeps the tone lighthearted and original (no small matter in a market glutted with new-baby fare). The kids' narration works as a purely practical template for kids curious about how their lives will change. Backmatter includes bibliographies and tips for parents on how best to meet the needs of those children that feel jealous of the baby. In keeping with the book's humor and general good cheer, Leng's spirited watercolors bring both the chaos and the charm of babies to vibrant life. Occasional missteps, as when the book fails to clearly distinguish between a mother's internal "baby compartment" and "where ice cream and bananas and yogurt go," do not diminish the book's worth as a whole. Expect older kids to go gaga over this informative little guide. (Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews