Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Julius the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes


Being an older sister I can understand the jealousy one gets when a new baby arrives and the attention is suddenly off you. Kevin Henkes does a great job of interpreting those feelings from a child's point of view in Julius the Baby of the World. Lilly is so excited for her new baby brother, Julius that is until he actually arrives. She hates having to share all the attention with this new baby that just won’t seem to go away.This story is great Lilly goes through all of the feelings most older siblings face when a new addition is added to the family: excitement, jealousy, anger, and acceptance. The illustrations are what make the story in this book; every detail and expression adds humor to the story. The four year old's potty mouth expressions such as " I hate you, you're so ugly" adds realism to the story with the fact that most four year olds talk like that when angry. Though I'm sure some would disagree with me and finding it inappropriate and gives children ideas on negative ways to act, but that is what makes this story so relatable to readers. I think this is a great story that explores the aspect of sibling rivalry and love. It would make a great read aloud for children or just an independent read for beginning readers.

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