Customer Reviews

Sophie and the New Baby (Concept Books (Albert Whitman))

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We bought this book for our daughter when we were expecting our son. It's the story of a big sister who welcomes a baby brother (the "winter baby"). Most of the books that I looked at on this subject have a very negative angle, but just a brief portion of this story focuses on the challenges and frustrations of becoming a big sister. It shows the great anticipation of the baby through the changing seasons and also accurately depicts life with a new baby today - changing diapers, sitting in a vibrating seat and breastfeeding. In the end, Sophie is the one who teaches her little brother to smile and they become great friends. This is now one of my daughter's favorites!

This is a wonderfully sweet book. It shows how a family prepares for the arrival of a new baby, and does an excellent job showing the passage of time, through beautiful illustrations of the seasons. It also addresses the frustrations and anger a young child feels when the new baby gets all of mom and dad's attention. The dialogue is simple and sweet - my almost 3-year-old really liked it and "got" it. I love that it depicts the mother nursing the young infant in a natural way. This is a GREAT book!

As a mom of a girl about Sophie's age, I have a hard time reading this book without getting teary. It is so well-written and sweet. I love how the story covers the length of the pregnancy...from the Spring in which the parents tell Sophie that a baby is coming, until the following Spring..the end of the "fourth trimester." I also love how it shows the variety of realistic emotions that the older child would feel. The illustrations are wonderful too. My daughter asks me to read this to her, and then we talk about how she will relate to Sophie when her baby sister comes in a few months. I highly, highly recommend this book. I have read a lot of books on this subject, and this is one of the best.

The book depicts a close family season by season as they prepare for, add and adapt to their newest family member. The illustrations are beautiful. The story told from the older sister's point of view is touching.

This is a fabulous book, and is good for girls and boys. I love that it includes breastfeeding, which is unforunately very rare and hard to find. A definite read for any parent expecting a 2nd (and beyond) child.

Sophie and the New Baby is a good story to share with children having trouble getting used to the changes a new baby can bring.

Sophie is an only child who is used to getting a lot of attention from her parents. One spring day, her parents announce that there will be a new member arriving in the family. That baby will be a winter baby. Sophie waits, and waits, and waits. Finally the baby arrives. Sophie is disappointed that the baby cannot play with her. She is even more disappointed when her parents spend all of their time with the baby and not with her. Sophie is sad and lonely. Eventually, with the passage of time, Sophie adjusts and learns to love the little baby.

Catherine Anholt's charming illustrations detail the changing seasons beautifully as Sophie waits for the baby. They also accurately portray the things that occur once the baby arrives: the crying, the nursing, the diaper changes, the holding, the nursing (yes, there are two illustrations of the mom nursing the baby), the growing piles of laundry and dishes...

Sophie and the New Baby gives a young child a good idea of what to expect when a new sibling arrives. It also addresses the negative emotions that can be felt in a reassuring way. This is a very good book to read to an only child who will soon become a big brother or sister.

-Sherry Ellis
Author of That Baby Woke Me Up, AGAIN

This is a wonderful book for a sibling (2-4 years of age) who's expecting a new baby in the family. It follows Sophie throughout her mom's pregnancy and then describes how things are once baby arrives. It does so very well, and accurately per my recollection of younger siblings arriving at our house growing up. It is realistic enough that it does show Sophie yelling that she doesn't want "that baby anymore!" Then it describes how Sophie teaches her baby brother to smile, and they become friends.

I love this book. My oldest daughter still requests it, even though her little sister is six months now. I think it really helped ease our baby's arrival ... her big sister knew ahead of time that it would be difficult, and an adjustment, but to be patient and it would work (older sister was 1 month shy of 3 years of age when her baby sister was born).

I can't recommend this book enough! In addition, if you breastfeed or are planning to do so, this book shows the mother breastfeeding the baby (doesn't say what she's doing, and for families who don't breastfeed I doubt that it would be something a child would recognize - but it's great for discussing that with an older sibling if you will be breastfeeding).

We are expecting a baby boy this winter and my daughter Sophie truly enjoyed this book! It not only deals with the emotions of an older sibling but begins with how long the wait is anticipating the birth of a younger sibling.

My 2 1/2 year old loves this book. It gives us a chance to talk about all aspects of having a new baby: the waiting, the coming, the aftermath. We told her about our new baby very early in the pregnancy so it's helpful to have a book that talks about waiting through all those seasons until it finally arrives!