Once upon a Baby Brother

K-Gr 4—This title provides a creative twist on the new-sibling theme. Lizzie, a passionate, gifted storyteller and writer, receives a lot of attention until her brother is born. As Marvin gets bigger, he messes up her bedroom, spills her oatmeal, and decorates her favorite stuffed bear with golden glitter. The second grader finds an outlet for her jealousy and anger by writing stories: about a beautiful princess who banishes an ugly prince to a desert island, a scary Marvinosaurus, a dangerous Marvinfish. She entertains her teacher and class by acting the stories out while telling them. Everyone is captivated by confident and prolific Lizzie's abilities. Miss Pennyroyal's new assignment is to create a comic-book character "who will have lots of adventures." With a deadline looming, Lizzie develops a serious case of writer's block—"something was missing." Then an unexpected dose of inspiration comes from her little brother when he returns home from visiting Gramma. Expressive watercolor and ink cartoon illustrations done in soft hues have humorous elements, such as young Marvin standing on a stack of books in his crib. This is a good choice to share with children coping with and learning to accept a new sibling.—Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY