Bye-Bye, Baby!

Felix is not happy about his new baby sister. In fact, he thinks she should be sent back to where she came from. That’s when a trip to the zoo inspires some creative solutions to his problem—but Felix will need some animal participation for his plans to work. Expertly brought to life by award-winning illustrator Larry Day, this quirky, tongue-in-cheek take on the new baby in the house is sure to entertain parents and children alike, and will help any older sibling realize that sometimes even little sisters can come in handy.

Children's Literature

Felix has been an only child for a while. When his parents add a little sister to the family, he is not very excited. All he wants is for her to go away so he can hang out with his parents and his best friend—a stuffed donkey named Poncho. Upon a visit to the zoo, Felix thinks of how each of the big animals, like a hippo and giraffe could help him be rid of his sister. It is not until the end of the book that Felix sees that his little sister is not all that bad. On the ride home, when Felix is upset about leaving the zoo, his baby sister hands him Poncho to calm him down. The lesson behind this book is an important one for any child where a little sibling joins the family. The book, however, seems to be unevenly balanced between the negative feelings toward his sister. He wants her to be crushed by an elephant and eaten by a hippo, both somewhat extreme feelings. After so much extreme dislike directed her way, the act at the end of accepting his sister does not seem positive enough to create a counterbalance. If the book means to set an example for a child, it does not set a strong enough example. There is still no clear statement that Felix likes his little sister. The illustrations in the book are well drawn and there is a perfect amount of text on each page, but in the end, it does not impart the intended message. Reviewer: Melissa Rife

LARRY DAY has illustrated several picture books, including Not Afraid of Dogs, an SCBWI Golden Kite Award winner, Duel! which received four starred reviews, and Let it Begin Here! He works in the advertising industry, and his illustrations have appeared in the Chicago Tribune Magazine and in several exhibits, including his own shows. Larry in Downers Grove, Illinois.

RICHARD MORRIS works as a literary agent and lives in Maplewood, New Jersey, with his wife and two children.

As he knows first hand, older siblings are not always as delighted by a new baby as the rest of the family. Richard was inspired to write Bye-Bye Baby! after his three year old son was unimpressed by the arrival of a new baby sister.

All the books they were reading had the same reassuring message—it may be different at first with this new person around, but eventually you will grow to love this person as much as your parents. But it became clear very quickly that this good wholesome message wasn’t exactly sinking in. Instead of growing to love the baby, Richard’s son was dreaming up ways to get rid of her.

“Mommy,” he asked one day, “maybe we should put the baby outside tonight so we won’t have to hear her cry?” Every day there was a new idea about how to dispose of his baby sister. “Tie her to the roof, flush her down the toilet, pack her up in a suitcase and send her away forever..."

At first alarmed, they soon realized jealousy is a common experience for a newly older sibling after hearing similar stories from their friends. Nowadays Richard’s son and daughter are good friends, and their hilarious stories inspired Bye-Bye Baby!, the perfect accompaniment for any family going through the roller coaster ride of emotions that a new arrival brings.