Don't Eat the Baby!

PreS-K—Tom has a new brother, and everyone keeps threatening to gobble Baby up. They nibble his toes and talk about his plump thighs, fussing over him and leaving the older child feeling invisible. As the family prepares to gather for dinner, it appears to him that "the Blob" is the main course, and he takes action by hiding his sibling. This story has a familiar plot: big brother does not really like the new baby until there is a threat, and then he becomes protective. The twist here is a young boy learning about idioms, or, as his mother explains, "Silly things grown-ups say." Most children begin to understand them around age seven, so it is hard to determine the audience for this book. While the story is funny to those who get it, it may go over the heads of many preschoolers. One-on-one with plenty of time for explanations, it might reassure younger children. The layout is clean and well designed, and lively acrylic illustrations are done in bright colors; Tom wears a red superhero cape. Libraries looking for more "new baby" titles will find this one acceptable.—Angela J. Reynolds, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Bridgetown, NS, Canada