Baby's Coming to Your House!

Children's Literature

Siblings-to-be and their parents will enjoy this realistic look at the changes that will soon occur in their families. With great sensitivity and humor, young siblings are led on the journey from mommy's changing tummy size to the influx of new furniture—(how could anyone so little need so much?) The book also presents adoptive families who often go far away to get a child. Siblings are told what to expect concerning the crazy way other people will act when the baby comes to their house. "People will be passing that baby around and saying silly things like, 'aren't you a cutie wootie?' The book includes photos that deliver the text, "crying is baby language for "feed me" or "hold me!" or "change my diaper!" Instructions are presented to the new sibling-to-be about how to discard a dirty diaper¾"if you go too fast, you may drop it. Yuck!" The final pages of the book draw the sibling into their personal role with the new baby. "When a baby comes to your house you will have to teach it many things, like how to blow bubbles and find perfect shells on a sandy beach." Futran's color photos add a realistic dimension to this must-have book for expectant parents and siblings. The text is placed in brilliant, primary-colored spaces and surrounded by heartwarming and humorous photos. This book would make a terrific gift for parents of siblings to-be. 2001, Albert Whitman, $15.95. Ages 2 to 6. Reviewer: Sue Reichard

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-In a matter-of-fact tone, this tell-it-like-it-is text speaks directly to prospective older siblings. The information imparted is not technical, as in how a baby develops in the womb, and it does not dwell on the conflicting emotions that will be experienced once that new baby arrives. Instead, the focus is on what to expect. Readers will find out about the noises baby makes, and the need for quiet time. They'll be warned to stay clear during a diaper changing and be reassured that their parents will always have time for them. "When baby comes to your house" is an oft-repeated phrase that lends a calm regularity to the text, which is enhanced by humor and a poignant sense of reality. Thomas touches on alternate possibilities to the norm such as a home birth, adoption, or multiple new siblings while the photographs are a study in diversity and inclusiveness. While the pictures are sweet, they are not idealized. They present a wide array of emotions while showing real families during typical situations. The layout is attractive, allowing for a clean, boxy presentation of the text and a multitude of dynamic pictures. The narrative appears against bright, different-colored panels that change in size and placement on the page. This book will serve as a great springboard for a discussion of a child's individualized concern about what it means to be an older sibling.-Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

In this smart, sassy preview of life with baby for the preschool set, Thomas (Somewhere Today: A Book of Peace, etc.) serves up her home truths about new babies with a liberal dash of wry humor. She covers the gamut of babyhood, from Mommy's ever-expanding tummy to the mountains of paraphernalia required for one small being. The prose is snappy; brief no-nonsense sentences tell it like it is. "Sometimes the baby will make loud, crying noises that are not so sweet. Get used to the crying." Thomas offers readers a balanced view of infancy; there are the requisite tales of the horrors of dirty diapers (her recommendation: "Sometimes it is a good idea to go outside when the baby starts to smell, just to be safe") and a compassionate acknowledgment of a new sibling's conflicted emotions that reassures readers of their parents' continued love. The book ends on an affirming note: having covered the cute, the smelly, and the noisier aspects of babyhood, the author focuses on the wondrous things readers can impart to their younger siblings. Futran's colored photographs resonate with the slant of the text. Candid pictures of babies, small children, parents, and families of all combinations interacting together, reflecting the myriad emotions expressed, are alternately humorous and touching. The layout has plenty of eye-appeal, with the text appearing in brightly colored blocks surrounded by photographs of various sizes. Worldly-wise preschoolers will appreciate this honest appraisal of what is to come. (Picture book. 3-6)