Staff Review: Books for Brothers

Siblings can be tricky things sometimes, and getting used to new brothers and sisters when you're little can be strange and sometimes difficult.  Thankfully, we have lots of books at the library to help with that, and more are coming out all the time.  Here's three recent arrivals dealing specifically with younger brothers:

"Another Brother" by Matthew Cordell tells the story of big brother Davy, the oldest sheep of twelve younger brothers. He wouldn't mind having so many brothers if they didn't copy him all the time, "Davy ate Toot Loops for breakfast. Petey, Mike, Stu, Mickey, Carl, Pip, Ralph, Tate, Lenny, Gil, Ned, and Bob ate Toot Loops, too." Davy tries to figure out how to lose his annoying brothers, but when he finally has time to himself, it turns out to be lonely instead of fun. Thankfully, company is unexpectedly on the way! 

Matthew Cordell's subdued yet colorful illustrations highlight the wordplay of his text, creating a laughable tale that everyone can love. The detail and humor used to portray each individual sheep gives this book the feel of a comic at times, and everyone can enjoy picking out all the subtle (and not-so-subtle) jokes. I enjoyed this story, as did my thirteen-year-old and eight-year-old nephews. Recommended for all ages.

" Big Little Brother" by Kevin Kling brings us to the subtly funny and ironic world of hipster offspring (in case you couldn't tell by the 50's-esque glasses and Where's Waldo T-shirt of the protagonist). There's a big brother and a little brother, only the little brother is actually bigger than his big brother, which big brother is quite peeved about. Big brother initially thought that it would be great to have a little brother, but he didn't quite count on this scenario.  His only time away from his big little brother comes when mom goes shopping and leaves him alone at daycare, which is great for big brother. But one day, a bully interrupts the perfect pretend Thanksgiving dinner, and all is almost lost until the big little brother shows up. This is a story that kids will enjoy, and because of the humor, parents won't mind reading it over and over either. Recommended for the preschool and kindergarten set.

" Caramba and Henry " by Marie-Louis Gay brings us back to the world of flying cats introduced in Caramba! Caramba, as the only non-flying cat in the world (he swims instead), finds his baby brother Henry a little pesky. Henry doesn't know how to control himself, and Caramba spends a good part of the book figuring out ways to corral him as he bounces all over the place. Until one day, Caramba and his friend Portia lose Henry, and go on a quest to find the missing kitten. 

Yes, flying cats are a little strange, but Marie-Louise Gay's illustrations are adorable, and a story about finding affection for a pesky new sibling is always welcome. Fans of the pictures in James Howe's "Houndsley and Catina" will especially enjoy "Caramba and Henry," as Gay has illustrated them both. Recommended for any child with an annoying little sibling.

--Andrea W., H.Q.