Sara Loves Her Big Brother

Two-year-old Sara adores her big brother, following him everywhere, waking him up in the morning, attempting to be with him at all times, and, sometimes, annoying him, in an affectionate story about family relationships

PreSchool-Grade 1 This is an amusing look at a sibling relationship, as Sara, a preschooler, admires her older brother. She often annoys him as she wakes him, helps him eat breakfast, plays with his toys, and entertains him. Yet in the evening, once Sara has bathed, her older brother sits and reads to her and kisses her goodnight. Maybe too sweet for real life, but it's a charming story which takes a different tack from most sibling stories. Apple's bright, cheerful illustrations complement the story and show a marvelous cat who is as much involved as are the children and just as pleased when Sara goes to bed. A book for a child whose brother may be just off to school or for starting a discussion of family relationships. Margaret C. Howell, Cameron Elementary School, Fairfax County, Va.
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In colored pencil illustrations, Apple shows all the nuances of Sara's love, which Hooker's text winningly understates. A hug given to a brother on rollerskates has near-disastrous results. Sara considerately wakes him up in the morningeven if he doesn't want to get up. Her gift to him of a purple dollop of jam leads to an accident involving spilled cereal. And on it goes, while a cat offers a thoughtful running commentary, and a stuffed koala bear acts as a dazed onlooker. When the day is over, big brother curls up in a chair to read to a freshly bathed Sara, then tucks her in with plenty of kisses. A sweet harmony between text and pictures prevents the story from sentimentality, and the sibling relationship is portrayed with just the right amounts of exasperation and love. Ages 3-6.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.