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Summary
Summary
When Brendan's new baby brother, James, starts getting all the attention, Brendan wants to make sure the family hasn't forgotten him. Brendan's mom and dad and grandma are amazed at what Baby James can do. He can smile. He can roll himself over. He can even burp! But Brendan can do these things, too. Eve Bunting's gentle story of sibling rivalry features endearing illustrations by Maxie Chambliss.
Author Notes
Eve Bunting was born in 1928 in Maghera, Ireland, as Anne Evelyn Bunting. She graduated from Northern Ireland's Methodist College in Belfast in 1945 and then studied at Belfast's Queen's College. She emigrated with her family in 1958 to California, and became a naturalized citizen in 1969.
That same year, she began her writing career, and in 1972, her first book, "The Two Giants" was published. In 1976, "One More Flight" won the Golden Kite Medal, and in 1978, "Ghost of Summer" won the Southern California's Council on Literature for Children and Young People's Award for fiction. "Smokey Night" won the American Library Association's Randolph Caldecott Medal in 1995 and "Winter's Coming" was voted one of the 10 Best Books of 1977 by the New York Times.
Bunting is involved in many writer's organizations such as P.E.N., The Authors Guild, the California Writer's Guild and the Society of Children's Book Writers. She has published stories in both Cricket, and Jack and Jill Magazines, and has written over 150 books in various genres such as children's books, contemporary, historic and realistic fiction, poetry, nonfiction and humor.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-As the family exclaims over each of Baby James's advancements-from smiling to rolling over, burping, sitting, and crawling-big brother Brendan declares his own ability to accomplish the same feats, and everyone supports him wholeheartedly. This pattern is altered when the tot starts to walk. As he wobbles around the room, family members call, "Come to me, Baby James. Come to me!" As James falls into Brendan's arms, Mom smiles and says, "He knows how much you love him." This is an upbeat book full of sunny good cheer. The focus is on one aspect of sibling relations, the need for equal attention, and while the author is effective in addressing this issue, her insistence on remaining positive makes the story lackluster. The approach is simplistic and bland. The absence of tension is mirrored in the bright, cheerful drawings. Clearly outlined watercolor illustrations delineate ordinary indoor scenes where the characters coexist in a thoroughly supportive environment. This one's easy to forget.-Martha Topol, Traverse Area District Library, Traverse City, MI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
As Baby James grows, his family delights in all the amazing things he can do, such as smiling, burping, and crawling. Big brother Brendan can do those things, too, and Mom, Dad, and Grandma praise him as well. This sweetly reassuring story about confirming one's place in the family is accompanied by cheerful watercolor illustrations. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
A young boy engages in innocent competition with his baby brother, with rewarding results. Brendan's family is enthralled with his baby brother James's accomplishments--so Brendan naturally gets into the act. When his Mom calls attention to Baby James's smile, Brendan calls attention to himself by proving he, too, can smile. When Dad praises Baby James for being smart enough to roll over, Brendan has to show that he can roll over and over and over. When Baby James's first burp wins Grandma's praise, Brendan produces his own big burp. By the time Baby James takes his first tottering steps, it is Brendan who alerts everyone and discovers he doesn't need to compete to get the best possible attention. Chambliss's charming watercolors showcase Baby James's development and Brendan's normal sibling rivalry with gentle humor and affection. Perfect for big brothers and sisters who might be a tad worried that the new baby will outshine them. (Picture book. 4-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
If Baby can, Brendan can! Brendan has a new baby brother named James, and he is jealous. As Mom and Dad exclaim over everything the baby does, Brendan shows he can do the same thing--smiling, rolling over, or burping--better than his brother. His wise parents admire his skills, too. The Hallmark moment comes when chubby-cheeked Baby James is learning to walk and walks, of course, right to Brendan. The watercolor illustrations match the light touch of the spare text, which is told in Brendan's voice. Anyone who has observed the resentment of a first-born child will appreciate this bright, cozy take on sibling rivalry, with loving relationships and caring family members at its heart. Elise Broach's What the No-Good Baby Is Good For and Vera Rosenberry's Vera's Baby Sister (both 2005) are good follow-ups. --Julie Cummins Copyright 2007 Booklist