And Then...

by Alborozo

It's hard being an older sister when everybody is admiring your newly born younger brother - particularly on your birthday. Especially when that younger brother is noisy, smelly and slimy - just like a tiny squid! How can our hero grab everyone's attention, and grow to love her brother in the process? This quirky, exuberant picture book reminds us of the power of the imagination, and shows us how telling stories can help us order and deal with our experiences.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Humor, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

Published June 30, 2016

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

It often happens to those of us who are the first-born children. Despite our excitement about having a new baby brother or sister, once the little one arrives, we find ourselves seemingly replaces as the new infant seems to get everyone's attention. In this picture book from Australia, a sister tries to get everyone's attention by drawing and telling a story. Because she focuses at first on the yucky stuff about a baby, she imagines him as a baby squid who causes many problems. But when she hears her baby brother crying, her maternal instincts kick in, and she decides he isn't so bad, after all. The book's important message about siblings is delivered amid typefaces that move all across its pages just like the sister's story does on her page. The bright and cheerful illustrations will remind readers of the artwork a child might create with loops and tentacles and a very large bee featured. This one might be useful to share with a child anticipating a new sibling or as a good example of how to behave after the baby arrives. Plus, it reassures the older brother or sister that his/her feelings are not all that unusual.

[Bonnie Lambourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story, the main character, and the art all stuck in my head [when I forgot the title] - and that is a good sign that it's a keeper. The main character is so like children I have known, using her imagination and avoidance to come up with her own way to express her feelings while working them out. The artist enhanced this by spiraling her nonstop storytelling around the page, and unleashed her paintings wildly about.

There are a lot of "sweet" books about a new baby coming, how to be a big sibling, but this one is so real and silly simultaneously. It is quirky, exaggerated, and gives a kid permission to share there are things that are icky about a new baby, things that make one feel left out or insignificant, and not be bad or in trouble.

I can imagine some really good inside jokes that might arise in some families related to reading this book and having a similar situation at home - or avoiding one by reading this book.

I think the title makes sense - if you read it, you'll get it. But I do wish it had been something more specific to remember that included squid baby in the title... but not like that other books with actual squids or squid characters.

I am betting on this one being the baby book the older sibling enjoys many times over, even to share with the new baby.

[Lara Bate · Rating 3 out of 5]

And then... by Alborozo is a story of a girl who has a new younger brother. She is jealous and wishes for him to turn into a squid and make her parents small. This happens but then wishes for things to go back to normal. She learns to appreciate her brother. The language throughout the book was different.

[Terry]

This is a story every "big" will definitely relate to! The girl's story is age-appropriate. It "reads" as though she is making it up as she goes along (just like a preschool would). The stream of consciousnesses of it is amplified by the text that swirls all about that page.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not sure I fully understand the point of this one. There are definitely better "new baby" books out there.

[Michelle Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Themes: siblings, baby brother, birthdays

[Mary Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun new-sibling story, with a focus on the big sister spinning a silly tale about her baby brother turning into a giant, wiggling squid. Even though it feels quite slight, it creates a great message and strategy for some new big siblings

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A jealous big sister spins a silly tale about her baby brother turning into a giant, wiggling squid.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author was trying to be creative with the format, but it was a pain in the elbow just trying to read it (turning it this way and that way and around and around and over)...BLECH! The message was lost in my frustration with the format!