School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2 Simple stories with large, easy-to-read type and texts. In Mr. Big Brother, Eli is excited because his mom is going to have a baby. Tired of being the youngest in the family, he can't wait for the new babe to arrive so that he and his older brother, John, can have all sorts of exciting adventures with him. But the infant turns out to be a girl. The disappointed sibling finally accepts his new sister, providing a neat, satisfying conclusion. My First Day at Camp is narrated by Anna, who is eager, though a bit apprehensive about going to a day camp where she knows no one. By the time she gets home, however, she can't wait to return. Both stories are illustrated with colorful, engaging pictures on every page. The simple plots move quickly toward the predictable conclusions, and the situations presented reflect common childhood experiences. As fare for beginning readers, these are serviceable selections. Jane Claes, T. J. Lee Elementary School, Irving, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
This book deals with the common problem of adjusting to a new sibling. Eli was sure he was going to get a new baby brother, so the [cf2]sister[cf1] who is born takes some getting used to. The resolution is believable, the reading level is suited to the audience, and Duke's cartoon illustrations of round-faced children are serviceable, though the book has an institutional look. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 1^-2. Sibling displacement gets a fresh treatment from the middle kid's point of view in this family story in the Bank Street Ready-to-Read series. Eli is thrilled his mom's having a baby: he'll be big brother to his new baby brother, just as Jon is big brother to Eli. But the new baby is a sister, and Eli's furiously disappointed ("Well, take her back. I want a brother"). The ink-and-watercolor cartoons show Eli's joyful fantasies of playing big brother to a boy, then his scowling resentment, and finally, of course, his embrace of the smiling baby girl. The gender stuff is handled without heavy sermonizing. Eli cuddles his sister and cares for her, and one day she will play ball with her brothers. --Hazel Rochman
