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That New Baby!
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 23, 2022
That New Baby by Patricia Relf, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo, is a wonderful book about a big sister's challenges around having a new baby in the house! The illustrations are wonderful! The colors are bright and happy, the characters' faces expressive and animated, and they carry the story arc perfectly while adding insight and panache.
And the story itself is universal! Every family who has more than one child has the experience of bringing a new baby into the house for an older sibling to get used to. And every child who has a younger sibling will remember all these challenges and more! But most importantly, the older sibling who just had a new baby move into the house will relate to all the mixed emotions, the love, the aggravations and the irritations. It's a great book to help prepare an older child for a new baby, and will help that older child know that they are not alone in these challenges. Everybody feels all these mixed emotions!
This book appears to be Patricia Relf's first published book, and I have a real tendency to love an author's first book. It was published in 1980, so it is not recent. And it deserves a warning for strong language by our contemporary standards: In one of Elizabeth's worst moments, she shouts, "I hate being a big sister, and I hate that dumb baby!" You might prefer not to use the words "hate" and "dumb," but I encourage you not to let that keep you from exploring the book. There are softer ways to say "hate" and "dumb" which the reader can choose to say instead, and the use of these words provides an authentic opportunity for a meaningful conversation about those words. The book has a wonderful message and has a very happy, peaceful, loving ending, so I highly recommend the book.
And the story itself is universal! Every family who has more than one child has the experience of bringing a new baby into the house for an older sibling to get used to. And every child who has a younger sibling will remember all these challenges and more! But most importantly, the older sibling who just had a new baby move into the house will relate to all the mixed emotions, the love, the aggravations and the irritations. It's a great book to help prepare an older child for a new baby, and will help that older child know that they are not alone in these challenges. Everybody feels all these mixed emotions!
This book appears to be Patricia Relf's first published book, and I have a real tendency to love an author's first book. It was published in 1980, so it is not recent. And it deserves a warning for strong language by our contemporary standards: In one of Elizabeth's worst moments, she shouts, "I hate being a big sister, and I hate that dumb baby!" You might prefer not to use the words "hate" and "dumb," but I encourage you not to let that keep you from exploring the book. There are softer ways to say "hate" and "dumb" which the reader can choose to say instead, and the use of these words provides an authentic opportunity for a meaningful conversation about those words. The book has a wonderful message and has a very happy, peaceful, loving ending, so I highly recommend the book.
May 30, 2013
I'm assuming my parents bought this for me when my brother was born three years after me because it fits rather perfectly of the older sister with the baby brother. However, I do know it got a lot of use for the both of us when my sister came three years after that.
I've always loved this story. I never remember really feelings like Elizabeth did but I could understand why another child might feel that way. My favorite parts were always the things she did with her dad, just the two of them. It seemed to me to not be as bad as she was making out.
Yesterday though, I did love the race track in the crib. That is something any older child might do, not thinking that the younger child might be hurt. I think I also liked this book because the girl wasn't just playing with dolls but had a race track and was obviously not extremely girly. As someone who kept her head in a book (though I liked playing with dolls) and was not 'girly', I liked this a lot.
All in all, a cute little story that might go a long way if used properly to help older sibling understand that a new baby does not mean they are loved less or that they will not get any time with a parent.
I've always loved this story. I never remember really feelings like Elizabeth did but I could understand why another child might feel that way. My favorite parts were always the things she did with her dad, just the two of them. It seemed to me to not be as bad as she was making out.
Yesterday though, I did love the race track in the crib. That is something any older child might do, not thinking that the younger child might be hurt. I think I also liked this book because the girl wasn't just playing with dolls but had a race track and was obviously not extremely girly. As someone who kept her head in a book (though I liked playing with dolls) and was not 'girly', I liked this a lot.
All in all, a cute little story that might go a long way if used properly to help older sibling understand that a new baby does not mean they are loved less or that they will not get any time with a parent.
June 5, 2016
There's a new baby in the house and Elizabeth is not so sure that she likes him. That New Baby! is about an older sibling adjusting to a new baby in the house. The biggest issue is that it is hard for the older sibling to share Mommy and Daddy’s attention with the new family addition. However, in the end Elizabeth realizes how much she likes being an older sibling and how much she cares about her little brother. This book wasn't my favorite in terms of the illustrations; it's an older book and the illustrations didn't really capture my attention. I could use this book in my classroom however to talk about how it can be difficult to adjust to a new sibling in the house.
July 9, 2012
Today was a new baby sister book day by request.when we were at thhe used bookstore the other day we came home with Baby Sister For Frances and The New Baby. I think these are all so valuable! This book, That New Baby is one that was bougt for my sister when I was born. It's very cute.
January 16, 2012
I still have the copy of this book that was mine when I was little. I imagine my parents bought it when my brother was born. My daughter pulled it off the shelf today while we were home for a sick day.
It's a cute story, helping to make the older sibling feel wanted and loved.
It's a cute story, helping to make the older sibling feel wanted and loved.
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July 22, 2009JE-Rel
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews