Customer Reviews

Will There Be a Lap for Me?

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a nice book to add to your reading time for a soon-to-be older sibling. I found it suitable for my 2 yr old, yet it is not too young for a 4-5 yr old.

The story shares the fears and concerns of a little boy whose mother is pregnant. The author skillfully manifests the boy's concerns into a surface worry that he doesn't have room on his mom's lap as her pregnancy progresses. Obviously, this is a manifestation of his fear that she won't have time and/or attention for him, but it's not played up. I really liked this approach, as most pre-schoolers have an indirect way of expressing or understanding their fears. It helps me as a parent remember that my child's concerns might show up in subtle ways.

Very well illustrated. I also liked that the characters weren't white. It's hard to find children's books that aren't about mainstream white families. (We're caucasian but try to stock a diverse book stash so our kids learn about other cultures.)

Highly recommend this book.

I liked this book and thought the story was very sweet. I also thought it did a good job showing the older child how things will be changing while mommy is pregnant and after the baby is born. Although my son seemed to enjoy the story, he does not request to read the book very often.

A realistic look at how your older child's world will change when the new baby arrives. This book will also remind you of the importance of making a priority of spending time one-on-one with your older child--even just 10-15 minutes snuggling and watching the birds!

I read this book with my 3 1/2 year old. I am expecting twins and she has been the only child/grandchild for a long time. This book opened up some conversations and made it easier for her to talk and ask questions. She wanted to know if I will hold her again after the babies are born and be able to play with her )I have been on bedrest). It also gave me a great idea to have a special project for her and I after the babies come. We are going to buy some ladybugs and watch them grow in her bug farm. The mom in the book takes time out for her son to hang a birdfeeder.

We've used this book as we prepared for three different births at our house. My son, who was 1-1/2 at the time we were reading it to him, loved it. The portrayal of the changes in Mom during the pregnancy and the fact that she is busy with the baby afterward helps prepare the children for the reality of a new sibling. The book reassures children that they are still important to Mom, even if her lap is full, and that she will still make room for them.

We live in the country, and don't have a lot of exposure to other ethnicities or ways of living. I bought this book because it was about adjusting to a new sibling, and I'd heard that it showed breastfeeding as well. But I was delighted to see such a wonderful book showing an urban way of living - riding on the city bus, and an African American family; a male baby sitter. I don't think the author was consciously trying to be 'different', but I think this book is great because so many children's books seem to assume that all children are growing up in suburbia (or even in the country), and that's simply not true.

The book covered the subject matter very well, too. I think it helped prepare our oldest daughter (3) very well for the arrival of her baby sister.

VERY SWEET. IT REASURES AC HILD THER EWILL ALWAYS BE ROOM FOR THEM. LOVED IT

If you like this book, I recommend "On Mother's Lap" by Ann Herbert Scott. My older child and I enjoyed reading this together before our new baby was born. On Mother's Lap

As a reviewer, it's challenging to pan a book showing a positive representation of African American families and also shows a natural portrayal of breast feeding. Unfortunately, Corey has left no other choice. The plotline leaps from Kyle enjoying his mother's lap to her stomach growing bigger, and suddenly the matriarch disappears without warning and returns with a baby boy. There is no reference of Kyle being the big brother, of preparation for how things are going to change at home. The watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are fuzzy and don't contribute to comprehension of the overly formal text. The end is equally disjointed-Mother goes from being neglectful of Kyle to suddenly returning her attention to him because the baby is asleep. Rather than comforting children that they will remain an important member as their family grows, this book may have the reverse affect on the preschool audience. For a more positive portrayal, parents may want to consider Mercer Mayer's charming "The New Baby" or "How to be a Big Baby...by Me, the Big Sister" by Sally Lloyd-Jones.