Small Sister [Hardcover]

Jessica Meserve (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Small and Big are sisters. But Big can jump higher and run faster. Small is always stuck in Big’s shadow. So one day Small gets mad and does something very mean. Now she’s out of Big’s shadow, but she feels smaller than ever. Until Small discovers there are some things she can do that Big can’t. And that helping someone else—especially an older sister—can make even the smallest person feel very big. Brilliant illustrations with inventive perspectives and use of shadows mark this delightful marriage of text and art.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 2—Meserve's story treats the classic theme of a younger sister struggling to keep up with her older sibling. Small is always in the shadow of Big, both literally and figuratively. At the beginning of the tale, Small is depicted as a fleshed-out character, while readers see only Big's shadow, always looming larger than her sister's body. One day the teasing goes too far, and Small lashes out by letting Big's prized parrot out of its cage. She soon regrets her actions and runs away, but she doesn't go far—just out to the meadow where she sees the parrot in a tall tree, with Big—now fully depicted as a person—sitting underneath it. She is too frightened to climb the tree. Predictably, Small is unafraid and quickly rescues the bird. That feat makes her bigger in her sister's eyes, and the two walk off together. Done in digital media, the illustrations are large and crisp. The details in the backdrops-a bright patchwork quilt, a textured braided rug, a dainty white tea set—are vividly depicted, and the outdoor scenes are colorful and soft. The girls are a little stiff, more obviously computer generated. This is a pleasant book, but there's nothing special or original about it.—Ieva Bates, Ann Arbor District Library, MI
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Review

"[A] poignant tale of finding one's strengths and establishing relationships based on empathy and understanding." Kirkus Reviews

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (May 21, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618776583
• ISBN-13: 978-0618776580
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 9.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,200,321 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars What a fantastic sibling book!, September 12, 2009

By 

Karen E. H. Skinazi (NYC area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Small Sister (Hardcover)

I give this book to all my friends when they have their second babies. I just think it's such a nice story and so beautifully illustrated. I am a younger sister myself, and this book totally resonates with me! I can't wait to see Meserve's latest book, Bedtime without Arthur.

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent gift for any younger sibling striving to catch up, June 27, 2007

By 

Jennifer Robinson "Editor of Jen Robinson's B... (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Small Sister (Hardcover)

Small Sister by Jessica Meserve is a classic tale of a younger sister trying to catch up with her older sister. Small can't jump as high or run as fast as Big. Big gets better presents, too. Eventually, Small is pushed to her limit, and lashes out against her sister, committing a rash act. But this makes her feel worse, instead of better. Things don't improve until Small finds an important task, one which only she can do. This puts the two sisters on a much more equal footing, an example sure to be cherished by younger siblings everywhere.

Small Sister is digitally illustrated, with tremendous detail. Small is particularly vibrant, with her sad eyes and pouty mouth. The outdoor backgrounds are filled with flowers and butterflies and grasses, and give a feeling of expansiveness. The indoor scenes are detailed, too, with patterned tablecloths and wallpaper, and the amount of pink that you would expect in a home with two young girls. There's a bit of a modern-day Little House on the Prairie feel to the setting, with a small house on a hill, surrounded by wildflower-filled fields. The parents are nowhere to be seen.

The author also uses the illustrations to symbolically capture Small's impression of Big. Throughout most of the book we don't see Big in the flesh. Instead, she looms as a menacing shadow over Small. However, when we finally do see Big, after Small's mean act towards her, she's nowhere near as large, or as threatening, as she looked in the shadows. She's just another little girl.

This book is a joy to look at. Even the relatively sparse text is used in a visual manner. On the first page, we learn that "Small had a problem." "Problem" is in larger text, looming. Later, and this is my favorite spread in the book, the guilty-feeling Small "decided to leave." The words "Nobody noticed" curve along the pathway, towards the front gate, trailing the forlorn Small. It's fun and playful, with just the right touch of pathos.

Small Sister would make an excellent gift for any younger sibling striving to catch up with an older one, regardless of gender. And aren't most younger siblings trying to catch up? Nostalgic and outdoor-loving adults will especially enjoy the illustrations. The last page, with the two sisters playing in the trees, made me want to join Small and Big, or at least watch them fondly from the nearby porch.

This book review was originally published on my blog, Jen Robinson's Book Page, on June 27, 2007.