Big Sister And Little Sister (Turtleback School & Library Binding Edition) [School & Library Binding]

Charlotte Zolotow (Author), Martha Alexander (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. Two sisters come to realize how important they are to each other.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charlotte Zolotow—author, editor, publisher, and educator—has one of the most distinguished reputations in the field of children's literature. She has written more than seventy books, many of which are picture-book classics, such as Mr. Rabbit and the Lovely Present and William's Doll. She lives in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• School & Library Binding: 32 pages
• Publisher: Turtleback (January 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0833565540
• ISBN-13: 978-0833565549
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #789,091 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feed the literary impulse, April 4, 2002

By 

"idris15" (Ridgewood, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Sister and Little Sister (Paperback)

This is perhaps one of the greatest picture books ever written, and is much, much more than a tool for assuaging sibling rivalry in two girl families. With a perfect ear for read-aloud prose, and a finely balanced sense of the perspective of a child, Zolotow invites the youngest listeners to savor the pleasures of literature.

We are introduced to big sister at the outset, who always takes care of little sister. But the heart of the story lies in little sister's small act of rebellion on a day when she grows tired of big sister always telling her what to do. Although the story is nominally about a little sister learning from her older sister such that "the two of them can take care of each other", it is the heart of the story that moves this tale out of the usual wretched and formulaic child's self-help lesson and into the realm of true literature. For not only does little sister run away from big sister, but when big sister comes calling for her in the meadow, little sister doesn't respond at all. Not only that, but we get a full two pages of little sister's quiet, existential reflections on the nature of being alone and in pondering what she has just done. This is the true heart of the story. How can a reader/listener not respond to the willfulness of little sister's unkindness, and yet fully understand the joys of being alone and feeling the grass under your knees while bumblebees buzz overhead? It is in identifying with these conflicting and ambiguous feelings that the young reader feels, perhaps for the first time, a frisson of bittersweet pleasure that will hook them on the joys of reading good books for life.

Of course little sister finally relents after she sees big sister break down and cry, but thankfully Zolotow doesn't give an adult resolution to the story. The answer to big sister's reproach, "Why did you run away?" is immaterial, and lemonade is the order of the day.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brings Back Memories, November 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Big Sister and Little Sister (Paperback)

About 25 years ago, this was a book that my mother would read to my older sister and me who are a year apart in age. I can remember being reduced to tears at the mere thought of being separated from my big sister. Now, my big sister has three daughters of her own, and I am on a quest to pass along this book which meant so much in the eyes of a little sister so many years ago. This is truly a timeless book for sisters!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a story for all sisters, May 21, 2002

By 

Rebecca E Moreno (Birmingham, Alabama United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Sister and Little Sister (Paperback)

I remember checking this book out of the library when I was 6, and thinking that this story must have been written for me and my little sister. We even looked like the girls in the book! I rediscovered this book recently, and found that the story rings true with me today, just as much as it did in 1977. I think anyone who has a sister could relate to this beautiful story.