Big Brothers Don't Take Naps

April 18, 2011
Young Nick adores his big brotherâand what's not to like? When it comes to older siblings, James is a Platonic ideal: confident, competent (he can dial his grandparents' phone number all by himself), infinitely patient, and inclusive. He mentors Nick (teaching him to count backward so they can pretend they're rocket ships), reads to him, shows him animal pictures online, and, as Borden (The Lost-and-Found Tooth) writes, James "always stops and waits for me to catch up. Every time." But most important, James helps Nick come to terms with a big and fast approaching "surprise"âthe arrival of a baby sisterâby telling him that he'll be joining the brotherhood of big brothers, whose member privileges include not taking naps. Dodd (I Don't Want a Cool Cat!) excels at articulating a preschooler's point of viewâher bold black outlines, bright preschool palette, and roundheaded characters are the essence of eager earnestness and unalloyed love. If older brother James is perhaps too understanding, the story remains a tender portrait of sibling affection. Ages 3â7.

May 15, 2011

Little brother Nicholas adores big brother James, who serves as a great role model in this story about a loving, and expanding, family.

Nicholas anticipates the day when he won't have to take naps, and he sees lots of other positive things about growing up as he witnesses James go to school, read, type on Dad's computer, etc. James is an ideal older sibling: protective, supportive, patient and kind. Together, they look forward to a "special secret" in June, which readers may well figure out before book's end. The biggest clue comes with James and Nicholas hunched over a sheet of paper covered in girls' names scrawled in childish handwriting. Nicholas reports, "...my big brother lets me draw the circle around the one we like best." Closing endpapers reveal that their chosen name is Grace, where their new baby sister's name is circled and serves as a satisfying conclusion to this sweet family story. Throughout, Dodd's digital art employs bold line and vibrant color, rendering playful illustrations that match the text's tone and recall Lauren Child's and Ken Wilson-Max's illustration styles.

A fine addition to the extended family of new-baby books, with a welcome nod to the middle child. (Picture book. 3-5)

(COPYRIGHT (2011) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

May 1, 2011

PreS-Gr 1-Nicholas admires and pays great attention to everything his big brother does, and one important thing he doesn't do, as revealed in the title. James is a patient teacher and role model for his younger sibling, including him in many activities, watching over him, sharing with Nick, and teaching him to count backwards and use his good manners. When the two boys work together on a list of names for a "special event" to take place in June, the older boy lets his brother make the definitive choice. Of course, the surprise is a baby sister, which makes Nicholas a big brother himself. Bright pastel, digitally rendered illustrations span autumn, winter, and spring and show the brothers and their ever-present dogs in a loving, noncompetitive relationship. Becoming a big brother is an important event, and many prospective older siblings will enjoy this story of another milestone in growing up.-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2011
Preschool-G Nicholas idolizes his big brother, James, and why not? James rides a school bus (but always comes home again to play), thinks up the best Halloween costumes (but always trick-or-treats with Nicholas as a team), and can read all the words in their books (but always lets Nicholas be the page-turner). Best of all, his big brother no longer takes a nap! Actually, there's one more reason to like James: he shares a very big secret with Nicholas. Digitally rendered cartoon illustrations, with thick black lines filled in with bright colors, have an occasional collage effect when paired with real photographs. The boys' omnipresent dogs lend exuberance to the gentle story and the exciting impending event. Both dogs and readers soon learn that Nicholas has a new baby sister on the waywhich means that Nicholas won't have to take naps anymore, either.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)