Dear Brother

by Alison McGhee, Nini Farhana Tuan (Illustrations)

Diary of a Wimpy Kid gets a little sister twist in this wildly funny and highly illustrated companion to middle grade novel Dear Sister from New York Times bestselling author Alison McGhee that brings sibling rivalry—and love—to life through a series of letters.

Sister has been the overlooked younger sibling for years. She knows the drill. Her brother’s banjo band is praised while no one acknowledges Sister’s bongo skills. Sister does the grunt work, but Brother gets the credit. But this time, the blatant injustice has gone too far. This time, America’s Famous Nothing has been granted the incredible power of choosing the family pet. And what does he choose? Certainly not a dog, the pet Sister has begged and pleaded for—a pet the whole family could love. No, Brother chooses a bearded dragon.

Sister is outraged. The picture of injured dignity, she refuses to acknowledge the creature’s existence. It doesn’t matter how much it stares at her or bobs its head to her bongo-ing, Sister is unmoved. Then, adding insult to injury, Brother gets to go to summer camp, leaving Sister at home to take care of his disgusting lizard.

Sister refuses to suffer in silence. She sends Brother letter after letter detailing her disdain for the scaly burden he’s saddled her with—even if the aptly named Frightful isn’t too awful. To her surprise, Brother’s letters in reply reveal camp may not be everything he thought—and as their correspondence continues, the two siblings begin to find common ground. Sister may even develop a newfound appreciation for Brother… maybe .

Genres: Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Childrens, Realistic Fiction, Juvenile, Chapter Books, Pets

192 pages, Hardcover

First published August 8, 2023

About the author

Alison McGhee writes novels, picture books, poems, and essays for all ages, including the just-published THE OPPOSITE OF FATE, a novel, and the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller SOMEDAY, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages. She lives in Minneapolis and California.

Reviews

[Chloe (Always Booked)]

This was a graphic novel follow up to Dear Sister. This is about a 2nd child who doesn't like her older brother because she feels he gets all the attention but then he goes away for band camp and she misses him and learns to appreciate him. It's cute but pretty whiney and nothing exceptional.

[Dianna]

My son (a youngest child, age 11) made me read this. It wasn't super relatable for me (an oldest child and an adult). I found it whiny and repetitive but moderately cute in spite of that. But it meant a lot to my son, and that's important. Recommended for youngest children who feel invisible!

[Eliott]

Dear Brother
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ (3/5) or 6.00/10 overall

Characters - 6

Atmosphere - 7

Writing - 6

Plot - 6

Intrigue - 6

Logic - 5

Enjoyment - 6

[Roma]

The characters are written and drawn so lovingly! I really enjoyed reading the book, then went through it a few more times just to look at the drawings - the characters (bearded dragon included) are so expressive and fun!

[A.]

Didn't hit in the same way Dear Sister did.

[KIRIAKI(Dominica Amat)]

Πρώτη δημοσίευση εδώ: https://www.dominicamat.gr/2024/06/bl...

ΒΙΒΛΙΟΠΡΟΤΑΣΗ

Τίτλος: Αγαπητέ αδερφέ (Dear Brother)

Συγγραφέας: Άλισον ΜακΓκι (Alison McGhee)

Εικονογράφηση: Τουάν Νίνι (Tuan Nini)

Λίγο ο καύσωνας του φετινού καλοκαιριού που έχει κάνει από νωρίς την εμφάνισή του, λίγο η κούραση που βγαίνει μαζεμένη, η αλήθεια είναι ότι δεν έχω άπλετη όρεξη για διάβασμα. Όμως, να που υπάρχουν και τα παιδικά βιβλία που λειτουργούν σαν άλλες τονωτικές ενέσεις που μας προσφέρουν στιγμές ''αναγνωστικής δροσιάς'' και κρατούν αμείωτο -τουλάχιστον το δικό μου- ενδιαφέρον για τα βιβλία! Ένα από τα πιο ωραία και συγκινητικά βιβλία, που απευθύνεται σε παιδιά ηλικίας 8-9 ετών κι άνω που διάβασα φέτος, είναι το βιβλίο ''Αγαπητέ αδερφέ'' το οποίο υπογράφει η συγγραφέας Άλισον ΜακΓκι (Alison McGhee) το οποίο κυκλοφορεί από τις εκδόσεις Μεταίχμιο σε εικονογράφηση της κυρίας Τουάν Νίνι και μετάφραση από την κυρία Μάρω Ταυρή.

Περιγραφή:

Μια μικρή αδερφή, που μαρτυρικά αυτοαποκαλείται Η Πιο Παραμελημένη Αδερφή έβερ, γράφει αγανακτισμένα γράμματα προς τον αδερφό της, τον οποίο βαφτίζει Το Μεγαλύτερο Τίποτα έβερ - αλλά ευτυχώς δεν του τα στέλνει ποτέ. Όταν όμως εκείνος φεύγει για την κατασκήνωση, η μεταξύ τους αλληλογραφία αλλά και η απόσταση την κάνουν να δει πως είναι περισσότερα αυτά που τους ενώνουν παρά αυτά που τους χωρίζουν.

Το προνόμιο του να ξέρεις και να νιώθεις την αδελφική αγάπη την έχουμε όλοι κι όλες που έχουμε αδέλφια. Ένας δεσμός όχι μόνο αίματος, μα πολλά παραπάνω. Ένας δεσμός που αρκετές φορές μοιάζει να περνάει από διάφορες διακυμάνσεις, μα στο τέλος επικρατεί η αγάπη και το νοιάξιμο. Για την αξία της αδελφικής αγάπης θα μιλήσει η συγγραφέας μέσα από την παρούσα ιστορία. Όχι! Μην φανταστείτε ότι θα αρχίσει να μιλάει με ξύλινο και τάχα μου εσκεμμένα πομπώδη και διδακτικό λόγο! Αντιθέτως, έχουμε ένα κείμενο εύθυμο, ζωντανό, γεμάτο από χιούμορ και τις σκέψεις των μικρότερων αδελφών, που ίσως κάποιες φορές να αισθάνονται κάπως παραμελημένα, μα δεν πρέπει να ξεχνούν ότι όλα τα μέλη της οικογένειας τα αγαπούν και κάτι τέτοιο δεν ισχύει στην πραγματικότητα!

Διάβασα το βιβλίο με το που το έλαβα! Σπάνια συμβαίνει κάτι τέτοιο, αλλά μου άρεσε τόσο πολύ η εικόνα του εξωφύλλου του και τα γλυκά χρώματα που το κοσμούν και δεν ήθελα να περάσει περισσότερος χρόνος μέχρι την ανάγνωσή του. Ένιωσα πως έγινα πάλι μικρό παιδί και μπήκα στη θέση της κεντρικής πρωταγωνίστριας, με τη διαφορά πώς εγώ είμαι η μεγάλη αδελφή και ο αδελφός μου το μικρότερο παιδί της οικογένειας. Γέλασα, συγκινήθηκα και γέμισε η ψυχή μου με συναισθήματα που μόνο τα παιδιά μπορούν να βιώσουν. Ναι, συμμερίστηκα την αδυναμία της προς τα σκυλάκια, μα κυρίως την βαθειά αγάπη της προς το πρόσωπο του αδελφού της.

Στα λοιπά θετικά στοιχεία του βιβλίου συγκαταλέγονται τα εξής:
- Άμεσος και κατανοητός λόγος συγγραφέως,
- Περιεκτική δομή κειμένου και σύντομες προτάσεις,
- Άφθονο λεξιλόγιο,
- Εξαιρετική εικονογράφηση,
-Τέλος, η καταγραφή της ιστορίας σαν άλλο κολάζ φωτογραφιών μαζί με κείμενα σε μορφή γραμμάτων.
Καλή ανάγνωση.

[Ms. Yingling]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sister feels that she is America's Overlooked Sibling and that her parents favor her older brother over her, and she offers proof of this from the family photo album. They applaud his activities but trivialize hers, don't care about her safety at the hands of her brother, and ignore her requests while fulfilling his. She would very much like a dog, so of course her parents decide to let her brother get a bearded dragon that she does not want instead. Nevermind that the apartment building in which they live doesn't allow dogs; the choice is clearly motivated by favoritism towards her brother. He also gets to go to music camp with his banjo, and Sister has to watch the stupid bearded dragon while he is gone. Doubly not fair! Of course, she lets her parents and brother know what an imposition this is. Frightful (whom she didn't even get to name!) requires a lot of care, and Sister grudgingly provides it. She even texts her brother pictures of his pet. Her friends Jorrinda and Kareem come over to play with the animal, which makes her jealous as well. There is a scary moment when a window is left open and Frightful gets a chill in the middle of the night, but Sister wakes up in time to save him. She slowly gets used to the pet and withdraws some of her complaints about favoritism. When her brother returns from camp, the two spend more time together and get along a little bit better. This is by the same author (but different illustrator) of Dear Sister, but I'm not entirely sure that the two are connected.
Strengths: Sister's longing for a dog will resonate with readers who have similar desires, so fans of Lloyd's Allergic will understand Sister's large collection of stuffed dogs and her well developed arguments trying to convince her parents to get a dog. While she starts out in a very negative mood about her brother and the pet, there is some forward progress in dealing with her negative emotions, and by the end she is even making outfits for Frightful and she and her brother have a banjo bongo band. The facial expressions on the characters are particularly engaging, and the yellow color scheme makes this feel upbeat.
Weaknesses: Sister was very, very negative and rather entitled for most of the book. While I see this a lot at school with my students, it's not an attitude I enjoy very much.
What I really think: Sister seems very young, so I will pass for middle school. I would probably purchase this for an elementary school, since the illustration style is attractive and the story is good. Perhaps we need a graphic novel about her brother's experience at banjo camp!

[Thompson McLeod]

Through a series of letters to her older brother, overlooked little sister states her case: look at the family photo album! A series of photos featuring older brother as the star and little sister as America's Overlooked Sibling. In every adventure Sister does the grunt work while brother gathers the attention and accolades. She's had enough! A cute pop quiz follows the section.

Even though brother plays a banjo, sister is a talented bongo player. and once again, overlooked. Brother, being the oldest, always gets his way. He gets to choose his room first, he chooses their vacation and most horrible, his choice of pet is okayed by parents. Sister wanted a dog so much, yet brother gets a bearded dragon. To add insult to injury, brother gets to go away to summer camp while sister is forced to stay home and care for aptly named Frightful, the bearded dragon.

Much to sister's chagrin, she discovers she acturally likes taking care of the atrocious bearded dragon and even admits it in letters to her dear brother when he is away at camp. When brother comes home, there is a new friendship between the siblings.

Cute storytelling through letters, texts and "evidence" presented by the sister makes this a fun read. This is a great choice for reluctant readers and anyone with a "problem" sibling.

Highly recommended grades 4 and up.

[Heidi]

Sister wants a dog more than anything else. But as with everything else in her life, her brother gets what he wants (a bearded dragon) since dogs aren't allowed in their apartment building. Sister writes letters to her brother about her feelings regarding being 'overlooked' and told to wait until she's older to get what she wants. She shares all kinds of examples of being "America's Most Overlooked Sibling". Her brother gets the best room in the apartment, chooses where to go on vacation, and now, gets to choose the family pet. On top of that he gets to go to music camp even though sister loves music too. Using letter segments, mostly addressed to brother, and numerous drawings, 'photographs', texts, and other notes, sister tells her story of unfairness and frustration. And things don't start to look up when she has to take care of the bearded dragon while her brother is at music camp. But as with many siblings, sister eventually realizes that things aren't as bad as she thinks and that her brother has his own struggles too. The story will appeal to many young readers both with and without siblings. The highly-illustrated nature of the book makes it visually appealing and a quick read. The black, white, and orange illustrations wonderfully emphasize the feelings that sister wrestles with, demonstrating how real such feelings are for her. Overall, the book makes for an enjoyable, relatable read for young middle grade readers who love lots of illustrations in their books.

[TheNextGenLibrarian]

A companion novel to Dear Sister.
📝
Sister is constantly overlooked, always hidden in the background of Brother’s shining star. Brother plays the banjo and gets to go to music camp, even though Sister plays the bongos just as well (if not better). When the family gets to choose a pet, Sister is dying for a dog. Unfortunately Brother wins with a bearded dragon named Frightful. Sister is livid. Through letters we see her emotions, feelings and growth throughout the book as McGhee shows the complex relationship between siblings.
📝
When I got a copy of Dear Sister for my middle school library a few years ago I immediately checked it out and devoured it. It reminded me so much of the relationship between me and my brother. This was an adorable take on the younger siblings version of events and how both parties equally feel left out and ignored at times. A great MG illustrated book out August 8!

[Alma]

Personally prefer Dear sister,
maybe biased by illustration style.
Both Dear sister and Dear brother is a process for kids to learn or realised actually they love their siblings.
The different things is in dear sister the brother is gradually building the relationship with his little sister, the core tool is the book he drowned for his sister.
in dear brother, the beared dragon as a core tool, the beared dragon she doesn’t want, then she starts to like, then she realised the attachment between siblings.
Also Dear sister is directly letter to sister, in Dear Brother it’s combined message to brother, and to future person, it’s makes author to feel harder to fully immersed into the story, the growth.

[Panda Incognito]

This was disappointing. I really enjoyed Dear Sister by the same author when it came out years ago, but this story dragged, with the main character seeming way too bratty and entitled throughout the book. Also, if her parents really do treat her unfairly and favor the brother, then she should be upset with them about that, not him. I wasn't sure how to interpret this part of the book, especially since I wasn't sure if she was reliably narrating her family dynamics or cherry-picking negative evidence to support her bad attitude.

[baileys.bookshelf__]

This book wasn’t a bad read at all! I only gave it two stars cause at some points he could seem repetitive, and I think the book itself would have really benefitted from another perspective besides the main protagonist.

And yet, the conclusion was more meaningful because it was only the protagonists perspective.

If good reads had a .5 system this book definitely would be at 2.5!

It was a sweet book though!! Super recommend for those readers who may be struggling to “put themselves in other shoes”

[Katie Shanahan]

I was delighted to receive an advanced copy of Dear Brother. It is a humorous look at sibling rivalry many of us are all too familiar with. The illustrations are a perfect match for the tone of the story, and the humour is non-stop showing the frustration of being the forgotten little sister, and her growth to becoming more understanding that life, might in fact, not be perfect for big brother. I strongly advise children and adults alike get their hands on this books as soon as it is published!

[Steph]

I lovvvvvved Dear Sister and I’m so glad that this companion book for is out now! This illustrated chapter book is perfect for a second and third graders, but truly for anyone who has a brother or sister, this book is an authentic telling of a little girl who is sick of being overlooked and taking backseat to her big brother. It’s hilarious, full of mischief, and stars a pretty cool bearded dragon whose presence ends up providing a significant turning point in their relationship.

[David Bayliss]

I had such high hopes for this book after being blown away by how brilliant Dear Sister was. To me this one wasn't as deep and I didn't connect with it as much.

HOWEVER, I am not the target audience. The 10 year old in my life rated this book higher than Dear Sister. He mostly missed the themes and nuances of Dear Sister but understood Dear Brother and was able to fully engage with it. Despite being an only child he was was able to empathise with the sisters and how she felt ignored.

[Sarah]

EARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
This is a great companion to the author’s Dear Sister, and the format with both illustrations and notes will hook readers. After the family selects a bearded dragon for a pet, sister must take care of it while her brother is away, and her opinion of Frightful begins to change while he’s away.

[Pam]

Graphic Novel
Readers see the other side from Dear Sister when the sister weighs in on how overlooked she feels. Told in a series of letters and emails to her brother and to people of the future. The humor and the reality come through clearly. By the end, this sister realizes how special she is too.

[Julesy]

Story 4 stars
Artwork 5 stars
Color 3 stars All yellow like the cover (my least favorite color)
Lettering 5 stars

Overall rating: 4.25 stars

Theme/genre: Sibling rivalry
Setting: undetermined
Likeable characters: sister, brother (they had no names)

[Candice]

ARC given to BookPosse by the author for honest reviews

I loved this book! I didn’t realize there was a previous book, but this one showed me exactly how younger siblings probably feel. It’s a story of jealousy, separation, longing, and being reunited. I absolutely loved it!

[Laura Stahly Dronkowski]

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC for this book. The characters were realistic and the way the relationship between the siblings was revealed was unique and interesting. This is a great graphic novel that will hook every young reader especially those with siblings.

[Miz Lizzie]

Described on the title page as graphic novel-ish, this is a Wimpy Kid-styled novel with plenty of illustration. A quick read about reconciling sibling differences and disagreements when everything seems unfair. Very relatable, whatever your sibling order.

[Anna]

A heartwarming, funny and superbly illustrated book. I love these illustrations so much! The faces, the dynamic poses, the amazing details! A lot of love went into this project, clearly. Can't recommend it enough!

[Emmy Corbett]

Super cute kids graphic novel. The brother goes away at camp and the sister has to take care of his pet that she never wanted. She learns that she does miss her brother and taking the time to be with the pet made her like it.

[Nicole Miller]

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher for my honest review.

Sister has always wanted a dog but when there is family meeting for a pet, of course perfect older brother gets the bearded dragon he always wanted. What is an often-ignored-Sister to do? As a younger sister myself, I totally related and loved this book. The “apology”/diary style was very funny as was Sister’s many, understandable frustrations. I laughed out loud at many of the illustrations and was rooting for the bearded dragon to the very end. I thought Sister’s growth was handled very realistically as well as her realization that older Brother’s life is not perfect all the time. A great book for any kid especially those with siblings and a love of pets.

[Meliss]

So cute!

[Angie]

The perfect illustration of sibling rivalry and reconciliation.

[Jayashree]

I loved this book!!!!

[Bridget Neace]

Seriously disappointed with this. I was hoping for more of the Brother and Sister from Dear Sister, but this was not the case. Also, the sister of this story was a Majorly Annoying Brat.

[Siri]

Such a cute book. Being the youngest child out of two with a two year difference I feel her. And sometimes I do feel like I'm just kinda left alone to do my own thing. So I really felt this book.