By Terri Schlichenmeyer
You always wanted a sister. Or a brother, maybe both.
Once you got what you wanted, then you had to learn to get along and that wasn’t easy. But your brother or sister is your best playmate, best friend, best person to share with. So why not share these great picture books about siblings…?
Your family is full of love, but what does it look like? In “Love Like Chocolate” by Tracy Banghart, art by Alina Chau (Little, Brown, $18.99), it looks like cookies and ice cream and pancakes to a young boy who welcomes a new adopted sister home.
But she doesn’t look like him, and that’s okay. There’s total acceptance, joy and comfort, and enough chocolate treats to go around. Love is freely given in this adorable book that’s read-able in any season, and for any 4-to-8-year-old welcoming a new adopted sibling.
If your family is growing, then your youngster may enjoy “Love Comes First” by Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush, illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki (Little, Brown $19.99).
It’s the story of twin girls (yes, the twin daughters of the former President) and how much they wanted a younger sibling. They wished and wished, and their wishes came abundantly true when their baby brother was born, followed by a new baby girl cousin.
Was it easy having a younger sibling? No, and the authors are honest about that. Their brother bugged them a lot, but they adjusted and learned to include the “littles” in their pretending and their play. Written in a simple, cute rhyme that hammers home the theme of love expanded, this book is a great choice for a multi-kid household and the 4-to-8-year-old in it.
A big family celebration almost ruined by sibling rivalry. Does that sound familiar in your house? Then find “Wish Soup: A Celebration of Seollal” by Junghwa Park (Little, Brown, $18.99), the story of tradition and a rotten little sister.
It’s the Lunar New Year (February 10 this coming year) and Sohee is very eager to have her annual bowl of tteokguk, which means she’ll be another year older.
This year, she’ll be a eonni – a “big girl” – and she won’t have to put up with her annoying younger sister, Somi. But while Sohee is helping in the kitchen, one chore after another takes her away from her yummy bowl of tteokguk, and when she’s finally ready to eat it, it’s gone! How can she grow bigger than Somi if she doesn’t eat her bowl of wish soup? Though a pronunciation guide would’ve been helpful here, three-to-five-year-olds who are half of a sibling rivalry pair will love this book.
For more great books – for you, or for your child – about siblings, adoption, rivalry, and learning to get along, take your kiddo to the library or bookstore and ask for help. Your favorite librarian or bookseller might be a sibling from way back, and they’ll know what to put in your child’s hands and what books you’ll want to read yourself. Oh, brother!
