From School Library Journal:
PreSchool-Grade 2-The jealousy, anxiety, and concerns of a youngster facing the arrival of a new baby are played out by a charming boy bear. Emotions are refreshingly portrayed, and the story treats the feelings of both adults and child fairly and with humor. When Andrew has a tantrum because his mother is too tired to play, she's annoyed with him, too. In the midst of preparations for the new arrival, he complains that his father "'...never fussed over me like that,'" and the unflappable Papa bear answers that of course he did. When his parents explain how lucky the baby will be to have a knowledgeable brother, Andrew begins to like the idea of superiority. On the road to accepting the inevitable, he finally calls the unborn child "Learnalot" rather than "This baby" and considers all that he can teach it. By the time Jane is born, he has included her in a family portrait. Brooks's black-line and watercolor illustrations often portray the family from an overhead perspective, giving the fat ursines an even more compressed and cozy look. It's as if readers are looking in on this family drama. The cave interior of their home is suggested with a few curved lines and furnished with human accouterments, but even without these visual hints children will have no trouble identifying with someone who has to learn to fit another family member into what seemed like a perfect arrangement.
Susan Hepler, Alexandria City Public Schools, VA
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist:
Ages 2-4. "Mom and Dad have already got me. What do they want this baby for, anyway?" The classic sibling rivalry scenario gets a funny, affectionate treatment in this picture book, originally published in Australia. Brooks' watercolor illustrations with line and crosshatching show a comfortable bear family in their nicely furnished den. Toddler Andrew expresses all the furious jealousy of the displaced child as his parents try to prepare him for the coming baby. He sulks, has temper tantrums, and makes ridiculous demands; but he's also very scared, and he imagines the baby as a crawling monster who's out to wreck his life. His loving parents reassure him, not only with hugs and kisses, but also by asking for his help; they make him imagine how hard it is to be a small and helpless baby, and that's when Andrew realizes his power: "I don't think it's much fun being a baby," he says. The gentle comedy is disarming. Hazel Rochman
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