The New Baby and Me

PreS-Gr 2–Five brothers eagerly await the arrival of their new brother in this creatively illustrated title. Each brother shares his idea of what the baby will be like, and the text and collage images describe the activities that the brother and his new sibling will do together. One brother imagines that the baby will be a scientist like him, while another thinks he will be an artist, and so on. The boys, who are pale-skinned but for one brown-faced brother, are in for a twist when the baby is born, and even though the ending probably won’t surprise too many readers, the book conveys a reassuring message of individuality. Readers will love poring over the detailed collage illustrations by Haddadi, an award-winning Iranian artist. Each spread has rich colors and is bursting with activity—there is much to take in on every page. Included at the end is information from the illustrator about how to create a collage, along with ideas for artwork to welcome a new sibling.