When the New Baby Comes, I'm Moving Out

Oliver & the baby

by Martha Alexander

Oliver is mad. The new baby is taking over everything, including all his old toys and his mother's lap. Maybe he should move out, or give the baby away to the first taker. Beloved author/illustrator Martha Alexander takes an honest and funny look at sibling rivalry in this reissue of the 1971 classic.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Born in Georgia, Martha attended the Cincinnati Academy of Art, and lived in many places, including New York, Alaska, and Washington state, before settling in Honolulu, Hawaii. She had two children, eight grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character has some pretty standard reactions for a kid who is not so jazzed about becoming an older sibling. However, unlike most picture books that focus on getting kids ready for a new brother or sister, there isn't much growth or gaining of understanding in this book. The little boy simply says at the end that the baby will probably make his mom miserable as well, so he's not going to run away after all, for her benefit. There are definitely better options for "welcome new baby" types of books.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not my favorite "introduction to new baby" books out there. The boy actually says that he's going to throw mama and baby into a trash can (illustrated) so that he can still be top dog. When I Was King is a much better look at this same issue without being ridiculous.

[Christin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book left me scratching my head. I'm not sure what the point was supposed to be. The kid was selfish and mean and it didn't seem like he learned anything or changed in anyway.

[Rose Rosetree · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That baby takes up all the room, and it isn't even born yet!"

Oh, the plight of the elder brother being depicted in this brilliant picture book by Martha Alexander. Poor Oliver.

Yet the responses of his mother are wonderfully clever. As a result of her dialog in this book, there isn't merely a happy ending. That happy ending is EARNED.

FIVE STARS again, to author and artist Martha Alexander!

[Elizabeth Tirado]

I highly recommend When the New Baby Comes, I’m Moving Out for classroom libraries, circle time, or family literacy nights. Its humor, relatable sibling dynamics, and focus on navigating emotions make it a valuable resource for helping young learners develop emotional literacy, resilience, and understanding of family relationships.

[Ale_meows · Rating 3 out of 5]

This narrative is about a little boy named Oliver who is not ready to stop being an only child. As his mother gets ready for the new baby she attempts to involve Oliver in the progress. Oliver becomes resilient and is not up for giving his new sibling all of his "old baby things". This book I am not 100% sure I would use in the classroom. It is not appropriate because Oliver becomes very disrespectful with his mom. He tells her that he doesn't like her anymore and declares that he is going to throw her in the garbage can. Students might interact negatively with the text. They may assume that it is okay to say hurtful things when things are not going their way, they may also think that running away from home is a good way to solve their problems. The only appropriate cultural thing i would use from this book in my classroom would be to show my students the perspective of a single parent household. The books illustrations lack color and could be boring for a young child to flip through. The author of this book, Martha Alexander wrote this book for her littlest grandson, B.J. Who was preparing to become an older brother.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oliver is mad. The new baby is taking over everything, including all his old toys and his mother's lap. Maybe he should move out, or give the baby away to the first taker. Beloved author/illustrator Martha Alexander takes an honest and funny look at sibling rivalry in these reissues of the 1971 and 1979 classics. Newly recolored art, a larger trim size, and a timeless

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of like Pete's Chair.