I'm Going to be a Big Brother
Kindergarten-Grade 2–These books are essentially identical except for a few minor stereotypical differences such as showing the girl's toys to include makeup whereas the boy has tools. Each one is a didactic exploration of how a household gets ready for a new baby and what it means to be the older sibling. Readers are cautioned about dangerous toys versus safe toys and are advised to always wash their hands before touching the baby's hands and toys. One page answers the question, Mommy, how will the baby come out of your belly? and the uterus and the birth canal are introduced. The books address the logistics of who will care for the child while Mommy's in the hospital, which in these cases is Grandma. Finally, several pages are devoted to the older sibling's role: Being a big brother [sister] means being a teacher and an example to your sister or brother.  While much useful information is imparted here, the writing is stilted and lackluster. The clarity of the page design along with bright, simple line drawings will help attract readers' attention, but may not sustain it with these overly idealistic presentations.–Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MICopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.