Geraldine First

by Holly Keller

"That feisty pig Geraldine is totally exasperated with her little brother, Willie, who copies everything she says and does. 'Don't copy me' is her standard refrain until she has to clean her room and shrewdly puts the copy cat to good use. Once again Keller captures a normal sibling dilemma with understated humor and a stisfying denouement."--School Library Journal.

Genres: Picture Books

24 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1996

About the author

Holly Keller is an American author and illustrator of children’s books, celebrated for her warm storytelling and distinctive minimalist cartoon style, often featuring animal protagonists. A lifelong reader and artist, she studied history before turning to illustration, encouraged by a design professor to pursue picture books. Her debut publications introduced a body of work known for gentle humor and emotional insight. Keller’s stories frequently explore themes such as adoption, belonging, friendship, sibling bonds, and coping with loss, offering young readers reassurance alongside entertainment. In addition to writing and illustrating her own titles, she has created artwork for texts by other children’s authors. Her books have received numerous honors and remain widely appreciated for their clarity, empathy, and timeless appeal.

Reviews

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"That feisty pig Geraldine is totally exasperated with her little brother, Willie, who copies everything she says and does. 'Don't copy me' is her standard refrain until she has to clean her room and shrewdly puts the copy cat to good use. Once again Keller captures a normal sibling dilemma with understated humor and a stisfying denouement."--School Library Journ...more"That feisty pig Geraldine is totally exasperated with her little brother, Willie, who copies everything she says and does. 'Don't copy me' is her standard refrain until she has to clean her room and shrewdly puts the copy cat to good use. Once again Keller captures a normal sibling dilemma with understated humor and a stisfying denouement."--School Library Journal. (less)

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one that wasn't quite as good as the original Geraldine book I fell in love with (Geraldine's Blanket), but an OK story about how older sister Geraldine is annoyed by her copycat brother until she uses it to her advantage when cleaning up her room. I reminded my son about this when he was annoyed with his little sister playing with his toys, which stopped the argument at the time, but may have limited usefulness :)

[Heidi-Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't help laughing at Geraldine's use of her brain in "dealing" with her little brother. I was a little thrown off that her brother's name is spelled differently than in the previous book. Just like the other Geraldine books, you see the emotions simply and can easily relate. Who doesn't remember disagreeing with siblings--or getting annoyed at incessant copying from the younger sibling?

[Jonathan Owen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty average children's story about sibling rivalry. My children could immediately relate to the two young piglets and there were a few laughs. I did not enjoy the tone, however, and felt like it sent the wrong sort of message for how to appropriately deal with sibling adversity.

[Cana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mommy says: Geraldine's little brother is a pest who is always copying her. Geraldine eventually figures out how to use it to her advantage.

[Yuzuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

小さいこには、やさしく、しないと、いけない事がわかった。

[Marilyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of Alissa's first lessons in reverse psychology.