Rating: 
Summary: Great book for toddlers
Review: My daughter is 26 months old and we are expecting our second child in another month. She immediately took to the book and has asked to have it read to her almost everyday. Before this book, we would talk to my daughter about the baby, but we weren't sure how much was sinking in. This book has really helped! After just a couple of weeks, my daughter is much more focused on the baby, and talks about how certain things will be for the baby, such as the infant seat, bouncy chair, pacifier, things like that. She also wants to see my belly all the time and will act like she is feeding the baby, or she will give the baby hugs and kisses. It is very cute, and it really seems like she understands a lot more what to expect when the baby comes. I am sure there are other good books out there, but this one seems especially appropriate for kids in the 1 to 3 year old range. It is straightforward and not too complicated, and has good illustrations. I highly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: One of my daughter's favorite stories
Review: My mother bought this book for my daughter when we were expecting her younger brother and she just loved it. The illustrations are gorgeous. If you're after a fictionalized account of what it's like to have a new baby at your house, this is the book for you. I also highly recommend Baby Science: How Babies Really Work because of all the fun ways it teaches preschoolers the truth about babies.
Rating:
Summary: Cute, sweet, useful!
Review: My three year old niece loves this book. I gave it to her for Christmas and she wanted to sit and read it with me over, and over and over. The illustrations really help recently inaugurated sisters relate to the new baby in the house.
Rating:
Summary: Good, even for young sister-to-be
Review: Our daughter was 17-months-old when she became a big sister, and this book was the only one out there that helped her understand the concept of having a little sister.
It is written very simply, talking about what the little girl can do and how she is a big girl. It talks also about the baby and what the baby can do, what the baby needs, etc. It is very reassuring, I think, to the older child that they are still loved because they are special.
The drawings are very cute and appealing to my daughter - she loves to see the big sister and the baby, the dolls and bears, and the mommy and daddy.
I think it really helped her understand the concept and I would really recommend it for any age!
Rating:
Summary: New bedtime requirement!
Review: The Big Sister in this house can't get enough of this book! We received this book at a baby shower, and our daughter absolutely LOVES it. Every night before bed, we MUST "read the Big Sister," and after I tuck her in and leave, my daughter, at 2 1/2, reads it again to herself (from memory, of course!). Cole does a wonderful job of showing the Big Sister playing with the baby, holding the baby, and helping to care for the baby. I believe the book has several strengths: First, the family togetherness theme is very strong--the family is together at the beginning and end of the book. Second, the big sister knows to Ask to hold the baby (which my daughter emulates quite nicely). Third, the big sister is reminded that she was once little, just like the baby, but she is now big and can do "big girl" things. And, most importantly, Cole STRONGLY affirms the Big Sister as her own special person who is still very much loved, even though this new baby has arrived.My daughter likes to play, "Where's the ___?" on every page, pointing to each character and object, and we can't turn the page until we've found each and every thing! It takes a while to read the book, but it's a great bonding time with her. On top of the great content, it doesn't get tiresome for me to read every night, because it's not repetitive or obnoxious, as some childrens' books can be.
Rating:
Summary: New bedtime requirement!
Review: The Big Sister in this house can't get enough of this book! We received this book at a baby shower, and our daughter absolutely LOVES it. Every night before bed, we MUST "read the Big Sister," and after I tuck her in and leave, my daughter, at 2 1/2, reads it again to herself (from memory, of course!). Cole does a wonderful job of showing the Big Sister playing with the baby, holding the baby, and helping to care for the baby. I believe the book has several strengths: First, the family togetherness theme is very strong--the family is together at the beginning and end of the book. Second, the big sister knows to Ask to hold the baby (which my daughter emulates quite nicely). Third, the big sister is reminded that she was once little, just like the baby, but she is now big and can do "big girl" things. And, most importantly, Cole STRONGLY affirms the Big Sister as her own special person who is still very much loved, even though this new baby has arrived. My daughter likes to play, "Where's the ___?" on every page, pointing to each character and object, and we can't turn the page until we've found each and every thing! It takes a while to read the book, but it's a great bonding time with her. On top of the great content, it doesn't get tiresome for me to read every night, because it's not repetitive or obnoxious, as some childrens' books can be.
Rating:
Summary: Becoming a Big Sister Is Great!
Review: This book explains it just right! It was a wonderful idea to make a sister version and a brother version of the same book so that each sex can identify better with the gender specific text and illustrations. I found it helpful to introduce this book about 2 months before the new baby arrives. I like how the text plays up the fact that the baby can't do many things that the big sister can easily do. Therefore, it sets a positive tone for the child to better accept the fact that the new little person is going to need quite a bit of attention (help) from everyone. It also validates the abilities of the older child helping her to feel special and loved uniquely just the way she is. I am a preschool teacher and when one of my students is about to become the big sister, I always recommend 2 books--"I'm a Big Sister" to read with the child and "The Pocket Parent" with hundreds of sanity saving suggestions for Mommy and Daddy. There are a variety of issues and concerns that arise when a new baby comes into the family of a preschooler. Both of these books in their own way help relieve anxiety of parents and children. The books do a great job acknowledging and addressing feelings due to the changes in behavior and routine that are bound to happen with the birth of a new sibling. Keep them handy to be consulted and reread at a moment's notice.
Rating:
Summary: Thumbs up from a big sister
Review: This book was a gift to my daughter when we announced we were expecting our second child. Prior to his birth, my daughter was only mildly interested, but after he was here, it became a bed time staple. In simple, reassuring language and pictures, a little girl explains that, even though the new baby has brought changes, she is still a special and important part of her family. I especially liked that the book modeled appropriate behavior for older siblings, while acknowleding the realities that accompany the baby (it cries, it needs a lot of attention, and it doesn't play). This book comes in a big brother version, too. A great gift to bring to the older sibling when you give a baby gift to the younger one.
Rating:
Summary: What a great educational, but fun book to read!
Review: This is a great book for second time parents to read to their first born. This book gives great insights for young children that are becoming siblings for the first time, and think it is a little scary. This book will provide comfort and help them realize how special they really are for being the older sibling. This book is definitely a fun read, which is important for children's understanding.
Rating:
Summary: What a gem!
Review: This is a terrific book. The main (nameless) character is a big sister now, and she explains what it's like to have a new baby in the house. ("The new baby is so little...too little to walk, too little to talk, to little to eat candy or apples or ice cream...") I have given this book to little girls with new siblings, and it has become a daily must-read. The book puts the emphasis on the newness of big-sisterhood rather than on the new baby, and that is a treat when there is a newborn in the house. The girls can really identify with the big sister in the book, and they love seeing that other babies do just what their little sibling does! Of course, the book includes the message that Mom & Dad have enough love for the big sister and the baby, and that a new baby is another part of a loving family.
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