New Babies

A Baby Sister for Frances;  Russell Hoban; 1964; ages 3 to 6; fiction. Frances, the older sister in this family of loving badgers, decides to run away to escape the doldrums of living with a new baby.

Julius, Baby of the World;  Kerin Henkes; 1990; ages 3 to 6; fiction. Julius' older sister declares him hateful until her cousin agrees. Illustrations are outstanding. Kids will identify with these realistic feelings.

Arthur's Baby;  Marc Brown; 1990; ages 3 to 6; fiction. Arthur's mom, dad, and sister are thrilled with the expectation of a new baby. Arthur is not sure until he is the one to stop her from crying.

Everett Anderson's Nine Months Long;  Lucille Clifton; 1987; ages 3 to 6; fiction. In a dialogue of very few words, a preschool African-American child learns that his mother and stepfather always will love him.

101 Things To Do With A Baby;  Jan Ormerod; 1994; ages 3 to 6; nonfiction. Round, rosy drawings illustrate the many ways young children can interact with the new arrival safely and happily.

Welcoming Your Second Baby;  Vicki Lansky; 1998; adults; nonfiction. Nicely formatted with quick information bites, this book offers tips for handling the mother's hospitalization, defusing jealousy, and including the older child in the process.

And Baby Makes Four: Welcoming a Second Child Into the Family;  Hilory Wagner; 1998; adults; nonfiction. Practical guidelines for dealing with older children when a new baby arrives. A survival guide for avoiding sibling rivalry.

Adapted from:  Ellen C. Perrin, MD Susan Starr, MEd Addressing Common Pediatric Concerns Through Children's Books. Pediatrics in Review. 2000;21:130-138.  © 2000 American Academy of Pediatrics