Baby Just Like Me, A [Hardcover]

Susan Winter (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 1994 | Age Level: 5 and up

The familiar dilemma of the older child dealing with the arrival of a new sibling who takes most of mother's attention and doesn't even know how to play, is gently resolved in a sensitive, beautifully illustrated story.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this worthy addition to the ever-growing list of titles about new babies in the family, Martha, an African American child, and her friend Sam anxiously await the arrival of Martha's new baby sister. "She'll do everything. Mommy says she's going to be just like me," announces the proud big sister as she and Sam gather her outgrown clothing and toys in anticipation of the baby's release from the hospital. But both are bitterly disappointed when the newborn ignores the puppet show they present, sleeps through their musical performance and frightens away a bird they like. "That baby is not just like you.... Maybe you should send her back," declares Sam in one of this tale's many entirely believable moments. Martha's mother gives her firstborn a needed dose of reassurance that she is loved every bit as much as her sister, and eventually ("it took a while") the baby joins in the play of the delighted Martha and Sam. Though the book lacks some of the inventive twists and sharp humor of prior books on this subject (e.g., Kevin Henkes's Julius, the Baby of the World or Holly Keller's recent Geraldine's Baby Brother), Winter's straightfoward text and realistic, full-page watercolors are a winning combination reschoolers as well as beginning readers will easily absorb her message. Ages 4-7.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2?Martha expects her new sister to be just like her, and so she and her friend Sam pick out toys and plan activities accordingly. The infant that arrives home from the hospital, therefore, is a real disappointment. She sleeps a lot, is too little to play, and takes a lot of her mother's cuddle time away from Martha, who demands, "when is she going to be a real sister?" Although it takes a while, the baby eventually joins in the friends' play. Uncluttered, well-crafted watercolors are rather idealized but provide enough detail to enhance the straightforward text. Though the topic is not new, fresh books about a new sibling are always welcome.?Maria B. Salvadore, District of Columbia Public Library
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: DK Preschool (September 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564586685
• ISBN-13: 978-1564586681
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,225,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the bunch, September 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Baby Just Like Me, A (Hardcover)

I bought several books about becoming a big sis for my 2 1/2 year old. This is her favorite. In fact, she has been feeling a bit unsure about this big sis thing and most of the books I have (On Mothers Lap, What to Expect when the new baby comes home, etc) she says she does not like and she will not look at them. This is the only book on the topic that she likes. She has asked to hear it many times and spent a long time on the page where the mom tells the big sis that she is and has always been loved as much as the new baby. That same day she seemed to have a change of heart and began to talk about all the things she could show her little sis or do with her little sis. Another day, she looked at the pictures in this and then acted them out, getting pots and pans to bang like the kids in the book. I also like this book because it addresses some of the difficult feelings that a young child may have without going into descriptions of extreme negativity and acting out, as some of the other big sis/big bro books do.