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Brand-New Baby Blues

by Kathi Appelt
32p. 978-0-06053-233-8.
COPY ISBN
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 Media Source Inc.
A new big sister sings the blues: "Once everything was peachy, / once everything was fine. / Now my brand-new baby brother / takes up all my mama's time." Appelt's rhymes are, occasionally, a reach, but older siblings will easily relate to the pensive narrator. Murphy's illustrations feature mood ring–like backdrops that change to sunnier hues as the girl warms up to her new sibling.

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