Much Bigger Than Martin

by Steven Kellogg

Near Fine Hardcover Text/BRAND NEW. Illustrated boards/NF w/edge rubs. DJ/None. PO name in designated area on fEP verso. "Sometime it's fun being Martin's little brother", but not when there's cake and Martin says "The biggest person gets the biggest piece". What, though, can you do if after stretching and gobbling down apples you're still smaller than he is? Well, read and find out! Superb book with admirable synthesis between prose and illustrations. Fine copy.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Family

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Steven Kellogg is an author and illustrator who has contributed over 90 books for children. He is best known for writing books about animals, for which he credits his grandmother .

Reviews

[Hilary]

Well most people really liked this one but I found it horrible. The illustrations of the faces are just so creepy, if you imagine a face of a nauseatingly cute and creepy doll that has been melted so the features start to droop you will get an idea of what you'll see in here. I also found it really weird, his older brother tells him not to come into his room or he'll get bitten by a sick giant, and other really strange stuff. Like others by this author, not one to read to children before bed.

Read on open library

[cj]

This is one of my favorite children's books, when I was a child and now. The story is written from the perspective of a little boy who is jealous of Martin, his older brother. Martin can do all of the great things that he wishes he could do, so he decides to figure out to make himself bigger. Cute kids' stuff- he eats apples, waters himself...

In the end his parents set him straight, and remind him that his day will come.

[Finny]

Mommy says: Martin's little brother is pretty sick of always being second, getting the second best piece of cake, etc., so he imagines being MUCH bigger than Martin and all the privileges that come with that. This book was delightful for my 2nd child to have read to him b/c he's pretty tired of #1's bossiness, too.

[Bill Sannwald]

This is a pretty cute book for anyone who's ever been a younger sibling. It's not always easy to continually be in second place. Much Bigger Than Martin is also a nice read to try to teach older siblings some empathy by showing them what their younger brother(s)or sister(s) feel like at times.

[Sharon]

For little brothers and sisters everywhere who dream of being bigger than... You and your young students will love this story. Great book for prompting discussion and writting too.

[Martha]

I forgot how much I love Steven Kellogg's (Raisin Bran! TWO SCOOPS!!) work. His illustrations pull the reader (or listener) into the story. They ooze imagination.

This story is a fun version of a "little sibling wanting to be bigger" tale. Kellogg's intermingling of imagination and reality through each scene is so beautifully intricate that bedtime will be a lot longer if little eyes want to see all of the details on every page before they're done with the book.

[Shelly]

Not my favorite Steven Kellogg book. The illustrations were typical of Steven Kellogg. The book was good, but not great. Silly exaggerations we’re the base of this book.
Martin’s little brother wishes to be bigger than Martin so he can make Martin do all the things Martin makes him do.

[Amanda Schwind]

theme: sibling competition

[Moch Ansori]

Very good pictures in the book and nice sort story also

[Amanda Novak]

Owned as part of "Pinkerton and Friends" Treasury.

[Lynn Davidson]

Henry was Martin's little brother, which Henry often did not enjoy. He longed to be bigger than Martin, much bigger. When his brother realized, he gave Henry a surprise the next day, and then Henry had a bigger surprise for Martin. Cute story very nicely illustrated.

[Books Kids Like]

Martin's little brother doesn't always enjoy being Martin's little brother. When Martin says to form a line for a parade, he always says that biggest is first and smallest is last. When he plays with his friends, he tells his little brother that he's too small to play. Martin always cuts himself a bigger slice of cake because he's the biggest. Little brother wishes that he could grow bigger than Martin. He tries stretching himself and watering himself. Then he remembers that his grandfather said that apples help you grow so he eats a whole sack full of apples. He doesn't grow, he gets sick. When his parents ask for a explanation, he tells them that he wants to be bigger than Martin, much bigger. That way he can eat the whole cake and give Martin a crumb. Or he can play basketball and swim to the raft. His parents point out that Martin used to be little brother's size. The next day, Martin puts up a basketball hoop just the right height for little brother. The next time Martin wants his little brother to play captured ape, little brother has something more important to do. He goes in the garage and make himself a pair of stilts.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com

[Maria]

Ah, Steven Kellogg. What a plesent surprise to find that I like his books as much as an adult as I did as a child. I think he tells universal stories (in this case, sibling rivalry) but with very odd flights of fancy. An interesting juxtaposition of images from the "real" world and from the children's imaginations. Plus he includes a pet cat slinking along doing different things ( fetching mittens, climbing ladders) on every page.

[Brigid Keely]

"Much Bigger Than Martin," by Steven Kellogg, is a kids picture book about a younger brother who is tired of being left out of things by his bigger, older brother. He fantasizes about being big... bigger than Martin!... and eventually discusses his frustrations with his family. Together, they resolve things a bit. It's a cute enough story, but after reading once or twice Niko wasn't interested in reading it again. Not a lot of interest. This would probably be better for a younger sibling.

[Siskiyou-Suzy]

What a delightful book. I love how it takes a relateable problem, makes most of the people behave perfectly fine (even Martin isn't being awful -- he just doesn't realize how much it's hurting his brother) and then adds this quirky, sort of surreal element with the giant apples and the giant factory and all that. I love the illustrations, and the conclusion is really nice.

[Jana]

This is a cute book about a little boy, Henry, who tries a number of ways to become bigger than his older brother, Martin. Young readers who are frustrated that they never seem quite big enough to do the things that older siblings can, will be able to relate to this. Heartwarming illustrations make this older book a welcome addition to my classroom library.

[Cws]

JEPIC-Kel

[Beth Shields-Szostak]

signed by Author "for John"

[Mindy]

I want this for all of the special little ones in my life :)

[Claudia Naranjo]

As the youngest of 4 sisters I connected to the story immediately.
I would give the book 5 stars if the word "stupid" wouldn't be there. this is just a very personal oppinion.

[Sami]

I'm taking a new tack toward my 100-book challenge, inspired by this book. If the competition is too stiff, lower the bar.

[Sylvia]

Modern