Brothers and Sisters and New Babies

Most of the following books address a child's feelings about a new baby joining the family.

*THIS BOOK IS PART OF A SERIES

Fiction

Andreae, Giles. There's a House Inside My Mommy. (Ej An)
In rhyming text and abstract terms, describes a baby growing inside a little boy's mother and the little boy's eagerness to meet his sibling.

Anholt, Laurence. Sophie and the New Baby. (Ej An)
After the arrival of the long awaited for "Winter Baby," Sophie is dismayed to find how much attention he needs from her parents. But by Spring, she teaches her brother to smile and is able to play with him.

Auch, Mary Jane. Monster Brother. (Ej Au)
Rodney imagines his baby brother will look like a monster if he arrives with his aunt's skinny legs and his Grandpa's large nose. Fortunately, the baby looks like Rodney and is loud enough to scare away any actual monsters from their bedroom.

Ballard, Robin. I Used to be the Baby. (Ej Ba)
A young boy helps his mother care for his baby brother. He enjoys his "big-brother" role, but admits he sometimes likes to be the baby, too.

Ballard, Robin. When I am a Sister. (Ej Ba)
A father reassures his young daughter that they will still have special times together even after he and her stepmother have a new baby.

Bogart, Jo Ellen. Daniel's Dog. (Ej Bo)
Daniel adjusts to the arrival of his new baby sister with the help of his imaginary dog. Features a child's realistic frustrations and positive interactions with a baby.

Bond, Rebecca. Just Like a Baby.* (Ej Bo)
Family members, from grandparents to sibling, each contribute a step in making a cradle for the new baby. Colorful illustrations and fine lyrical text.

Boyd, Lizi. Sam Is My Half-Brother. (Ej Bo)
A father explains to his daughter, Hessie, why the baby born to him and her stepmother is called her "half-brother." The baby needs a lot of attention now, but by next summer you'll be able to play with him, the father reassures Hessie.

Brown, Marc. Arthur's Baby. (Ej Br)
Arthur's sister, D.W., is more interested in learning about and helping with the new baby than Arthur is, but Arthur manages to lend a helping hand.

Buck, Nola. Hey, Little Baby! (Ej Bu)
An energetic, upbeat romp featuring an older sister showing the new baby all of the things she is able to do--with the intention of teaching it all to him.

Bunting, Eve. Our Teacher's Having a Baby. (Ej Bu)
As they wait for their first grade teacher's baby to be born, the children in her class write letters to the baby, suggest names for the baby, and learn that teachers can be mothers and mothers can be teachers.

Burningham, John. The Baby. (Ej Bu)
A young boy expresses his feelings and observations about having a new baby in the house. Very simple, succinct text and illustrations reflect an older toddler to young preschool attitudes.

Burningham, John. There's Going to be a Baby. (Ej Bur)
A young boy imagines what life will be like when his sibling arrives.

Corey, Dorothy. Will There Be a Lap For Me? (Ej Co)
Kyle misses his time on Mother's lap while she is pregnant and is happy when the birth of his baby brother makes her lap available again.

Cutler, Jane. Darcy and Gran Don't Like Babies. (Ej Cu)
Darcy's grandma helps her accept that it's okay not to really like the new baby - and to realize that deep down she probably does.

Denton, Kady MacDonald. Would They Love a Lion? (Ej De)
Feeling neglected because of the family's new baby, Anna transforms herself into different animals hoping to be noticed.

Fearnley, Jan. A Special Something (Ej Fe)
A little girl imagines what strange things could be inside her mother's tummy and is pleased to learn it's her new baby brother.

Foreman, Michael. Ben's Baby. (Ej Fo)
Ben asks his parents for a baby for his next birthday and by the time it comes around he has a baby brother.

Franklin, Jonathan. Don't Wake the Baby. (Ej Fr)
Marvin sneaks into the sleeping baby's room and incorporates the baby's crib in his noisy play activities. But it's not until Marvin falls asleep that the baby awakes.

Gliori, Debi. New Big Sister. (Ej Gl)
A young girl describes her mother's pregnancy from bouts of morning sickness to spaghetti sandwich snacks to the birth of her twin siblings!

Gregory, Valiska. Shirley's Wonderful Baby. (Eg Gr)
Everyone thinks Shirley's new baby brother is wonderful - except Shirley. It isn't until Shirley learns how to help with some of the things a new baby needs (diaper changes, feeding and playtime) that she discovers how special babies are and how wonderful it is to be a big sister.

Gray, Kes. Baby on Board. (Ej Gr)
Preparing to be an older sister, a girl reports on the changes in her mother and the developing baby over nine months. A midwife is mentioned as the mother's caregiver during the birth.

Gray, Nigel. My Dog, My Cat, My Mama, and Me!* (Ej Gra)
Lift the flaps to find out why a dog . . . and a cat . . . and finally a mom might go off with expanded tummies and return with a big surprise.

Hanson, Mary Elizabeth. The Difference Between Babies and Cookies. (Ej Ha)
A young girl thinks that her mother is confused when she compares babies to such things as cookies, puppies, bread, tiger cubs, and sunshine.   

Henderson, Kathy. Baby Knows Best. (Ej He)
Rhyming text and whimsical pictures humorously portray the truth that babies often prefer adult objects to the toys and other baby items presented to them.

Henkes, Kevin. Julius, the Baby of the World.* (Ej He)
This classic picturebook takes a lighthearted look at sibling jealousy. After he is born, Lilly is not very nice to baby Julius, or "the Germ" as she calls him. But in the end, Queen Lilly teaches her cousin to show the proper respect for the baby of the world.

Hines, A. Big Like Me. (Ej Hi)
A little boy plans what he'll show his baby sister how to do, month to month, as she grows bigger.

Hoban, R. A Baby Sister for Frances. (Ej Ho)
Things change around the house after her baby sister is born, so Frances decides to run away--but not too far. Her parents reassure her that she is missed and needed to make their family complete.

Keats, Ezra Jack. Peter's Chair. (Ej Ke)
When Peter discovers his blue furniture is being painted pink for a new baby sister, he rescues the last unpainted item, a chair, and runs away.

Keller, Holly. Geraldine's Baby Brother. (Ej Ke)
Resentful of the attention her crying baby brother receives, Geraldine ignores him, until one night she decides to read him some stories.

Kleven, Elisa. A Monster in the House. (Ej Kl)
A boy imagines a huge fierce beast as he listens to his new neighbor describe the monster that lives at her house, who screams, spits up on everything, and sucks his toes. But he discovers that "monster" is just the endearing nick-name she uses for her baby brother.

Laing, Kate. Best Kind of Baby. (Ej La)
When Sophie's parents tell her that they are going to have a baby, she pretends that it will be a baby animal, but decides that a baby brother is best after all.

Lund, Deb. Tell Me My Story, Mama. (Ej Lu)
As they look forward to the arrival of a new baby, a mother tells her young daughter of the time when they waited for her to be born.

Markes, Julie. I Can't Talk Yet, But When I Do--. (Ej Ma)
A baby recites the benefits of having an older sibling for sharing, fun, and love.

McCully, Emily Arnold. New Baby. (Ej Ma)
This wordless picturebook follows the story of a young mouse in a large family coping with and ultimately welcoming the addition of a new baby.

Mennen, Ingrid. One Round Moon and a Star for Me. (Ej Me)
The father of a young boy from rural South Africa assures him that he is indeed his son, and as special as the new baby.

Meyers, Susan. Everywhere Babies. (Ej Me)
Endearing illustrations and brief text depict a diversity of babies, the various ways they are cared for, and all they can do in their first year of life.

Overend, Jenni. Welcome with Love. (J 618.4 Ov)
A loving family helps Mom deliver her baby at home.

Palatini, Margie. Good as Goldie. (Ej Pa)
Big sister Goldie lists all the things she can do that her baby brother Nicholas cannot.

Reiser, Lynn. My Baby and Me. (Ej Re)
Photographs and simple text portray interactions between babies and their toddler siblings.

Robins, Joan. My Brother, Will. (Ej Ro)
Chronicles the first year of baby Will living with his older brother Kit, depicting Will's development and eventual mastering of walking. Simple text and colorful illustrations convey how older siblings contribute to the care and development of a new baby.

Saltzberg, Barney. Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Baby? (Ej Sc)
Is Cornelius P. Mud ready? Not really! The baby may be getting all the attention, but he isn't very much fun. Of course, fans of Cornelius know that even the arrival of a sibling won't get this resourceful little piggy down for long.

Scott, Anna Herbert . On Mother's Lap. (Ej Sc)
A small Inuit boy discovers that Mother's lap is a very special place with room for everyone.

Sheldon, Annette. Big Brother Now: A Story About Me and Our New Baby (Ej Sh)
A young boy describes how he feels when a baby sister joins the family. Realistically depicts how a baby brings changes, how an older child can help, and how that child can still be special, too. Includes a note to parents at the end.

Shute, Linda. How I Named the Baby. (Ej Sh)
As he happily anticipates the new baby, James and his family try to come up with the best name possible. Includes lists of girls' and boys' names and their meanings.

Waddell, Martin. When the Teddy Bears Came. (Ej Wa)
So many teddy bears arrive at his home as gifts for the new baby, little Tom worries that there won't be any more room for him. But his mother assures him there is and together they can all look after the baby.

Walter, Mildred Pitts. My Mama Needs Me. (Ej Wa)
A touching portrayal of Jason who determined to help his mother during her first day home with the new baby despite entreaties from friends and neighbors to play.

Wells, Rosemary. McDuff and the Baby (Ej We)
McDuff, a small terrier, enjoys his life reading the paper with Fred and taking walks in the woods with Lucy, but all that changes when they bring a new baby home. This story endearingly portrays the adjustment that animals and pet-owners must make when a new baby arrives.

Whybrow, Ian. A Baby for Grace. (Ej Wh)
Little Grace feels left out when the new baby comes home, but receives some welcome attention when she brings some garden flowers in for the baby, and later, when her dad takes her to the park.

Wishinsky, F. Oonga Boonga. (Ej Wi)
Baby Louise can't stop crying, no matter what her mother, father, grandparents, and neighbors try to make her stop. Only when her big brother Daniel comes home and says the magic words, Oonga Boonga, does Louise finally stop. Cheerful, colorful illustrations help depict this story of close sibling ties.

Ziefert, H. Waiting for Baby. (Ej Zi)
After waiting nearly nine months, Max tries everything to coax his new sister out of his mother, from singing to using a walkie-talkie. Humorous simple text and illustrations will appeal to preschoolers and young schoolage children.

Nonfiction

Andry, Andrew C. Hi, New Baby. (J 649 An)
In rhyming text and abstract terms, describes a baby growing inside a little boy's mother and the little boy's eagerness to meet his sibling.

Anholt, Catherine. Here Come the Babies.* (Ej 305.23 An)
Humorous rhyming text from the perspective of older siblings describes the characteristics and antics of babies. Whimsical pen and watercolor illustrations capture the raucous energy of babies and their older siblings.

Cole, J. I'm a Big Sister.* (Ej 306.8 Co)
A young girl describes her new role as a big sister in cheerful, affirming simple text. See also: I'm a Big Brother by same author.

Collmann, B. Kid's Book to Welcome a New Baby. (Parenting J649.1 Co)
Suggests activities to help children feel good about themselves as they prepare for baby's birth, and entertain and help care for the baby.

Danzig, D. Babies Don't Eat Pizza: the big kids' book about baby brothers and baby sisters. (J 305.232 Dan)
With humor and honesty, the author prepares children for the arrival of a new baby and describes what they can and cannot do. Includes tips for parents on how to help an older child welcome a new baby to the family.

Douglas, A. Baby Science : How Babies Really Work! (J 305.232 Do)
Big, bright photographs and text directed to young readers explain why babies look and act the way they do. Suggests activities for children to try to help them better understand baby behavior and needs.

Green, J. Our New Baby. (J 306.875 Gr)
Colorful drawings illustrate various situations that prompt the variety of feelings real kids have about a new baby joining the family.

Hanley, S. Peek-a-boo! : 101 Ways to Make Baby Smile. (Ej 305.23 Ha)
Bright, colorful photographs show different family members interacting with a baby and some of the activities an infant can do.

Harris, R. Hello Benny! : What It's Like to be a Baby.* (Ej 305.23 Ha)
Follows Benny's first year of life, while simply and humorously explaining infant development. Told with bright, colorful illustrations, this is a good book for older siblings to refer to in anticipation of a new baby.

Harris, R. Hi New Baby!* (Ej 306.8 Ha)
Tenderly depicts a young girl's annoyance with her new baby brother, until she realizes that older siblings are still special and loved. Features beautiful, realistic illustrations of a newborn's expressions.

Heiligman, D. Babies: All You Need to Know. (J 305.232 He)
Published by National Geopgraphic, this colorful picturebook describes some of the scientific facts about a baby's growth and development.

Lasky, K. A Baby for Max.* (J 306.875 La)
Black and white photos accompany text written from the perspective of five-year-old Max. Realistically depicts a family preparing for birth, childbirth in a hospital, and feelings and interactions between Max and his new sister.

Lasky, K. Love that Baby: A Book About Babies for New Brothers, Sisters, Cousins and Friends. (J 305.232 La)
Whimsical, colorful and cozy illustrations help describe how infants sleep, eat, communicate and play. Geared to young children.

Lewison, W. Our New Baby. (Ej 306.8 Le)
Photographs show young children what a new baby is like. Brief text suggests how young children may feel when a new baby joins the family and points out the "grownup" things an older sibling can do.

MacKinnon, Debbie. Baby's First Year.* (Ej 305.23 Ma)
Chronicles the first twelve months of baby Neil's life with his parents and big sisters. Large color photos capture Neil's physical and emotion development accompanied by simple text.

Ormerod, Jan. 101 Things to Do With a Baby.* (Ej 306.8 Or)
Bright pastel drawings feature a six-year-old girl and her parents and grandmother interacting with her baby brother. The family's every-day activities point out to young children how they can help and play with a baby.

Rockwell, Lizzy. Hello Baby! (Ej 306.8 Ro)
Describes the days leading up to and just after the arrival of a new baby, told from the perspective of the older brother. Illustrations and simple text briefly explain how a baby develops in utero and some procedures during prenatal check-ups.

Rogers, Fred. The New Baby.* (Ej 306.8 Ro)
Color photos accompany this gentle, frank discussion of how older siblings feel when a new baby joins the family. Follows the experiences of two ethnically diverse families during the first few months together with a new baby.

Sears, W. What Baby Needs.* (Ej 305.23 Se)
A gentle, frank discussion addressing the emotional needs and responses of new babies and their older siblings, and provides ways for older siblings to meaningfully interact and bond with the new baby. Includes tips for using the book, as well as a glossary and brief description of the Attachment Parenting set forth by Dr. Sears.

Ziefert, H. Getting Ready for New Baby. (J 305.232 Zi)
Anticipates questions a young child may have about having a new baby in the family, including emotions, how babies are made, and child development. Sensitive and simple text accompany illustrations of a family of dog characters.

Hey, What About Me?* (J 306.8 Hey)
Geared toward young children, this 30-minute video shows real kids talking about their fears, concerns, excitement and pleasure with having a new baby in the family. Depicts what it's like to live with a baby and demonstrates songs to sing and other fun activities to do with a baby.

Updated for MCPL Children's Services (2010).