"Big Red Lollipop" is a picture book about a family with three sisters. The eldest is invited to a birthday party and the middle sister, Sana, wants to go too. The eldest sister begs her mother not to make her take her Sana, but mom insists, setting off a series of conflicts between the two.
There are a lot of things going on in this short, seemingly simple tale. For one, the story features an immigrant family, so part of the misunderstanding is cultural. Also, when the mother attempts to impose what she sees as fairness on the situation, no one is happy, which we all know parents and siblings deal with everyday. In the story’s resolution, it’s the oldest sister, Rubina, is the one who finds the best solution despite her frustration with her younger sister. It’s refreshing to have a child character in a children’s book demonstrate such wisdom and maturity. Families can learn a lot from this book that explores cultural differences, sibling dynamics, jealousy, fairness, and problem-solving all in a mere 30 beautifully illustrated pages. If your family needs help with any of those issues, I highly recommend your family check out lovely children’s book together.
Other suggestions for those of you dealing with sibling rivalry:
"Who Is Your Favorite Monster, Mama?" By Barbara Shook Hazen; Illustrated by Maryann Kovalski – Harry, the oldest of three monster children, wonders if his mother loves him less now that he has younger brothers.
"Siblings: You’re Stuck with Each Other, So Stick Together" by James J. Crist, Ph.D & Elizabeth Verdick – This is a non-fiction book more for your Elementary-age siblings. It uses comedy, comics, and activities to tackle the big issues siblings have to deal with such as privacy, teasing, privileges, and fairness.
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