The arrival of a new baby in the family is a thrilling, yet sometimes daunting prospect for older siblings. Below are a selection of titles compiled by Sarah Harrington at Book Trust, which treat this subject with humour, warmth and understanding, aiming to reassure both children and parents at a time of excitement and uncertainty.
The invaluable non-fiction title, How Do I Feel About Our New Baby by Jen Green (Franklin Watts, £5.99) uses photographs of four children, interspersed with colourful line drawings, to explore common responses and emotions of older siblings when a new baby is born. It is packed full of examples, advice and discussion points, providing an informative and reassuring resource to share with children aged five and over.
Told from the point of view of a toddler, Za-za's Baby Brother by Lucy Cousins (Walker Books, £5.99) is a colourful, bold picture book with simple text aimed at two- to six-year-olds. Za-za (a zebra) feels excluded when the new baby receives all the attention, and her parents are either too busy or tired to play with her. But in time she adjusts, and enjoys caring for and playing with her new brother. She even gets her own cuddle in the end, although she has to wait for it a bit longer than she would have liked!
Bob Graham's Brand New Baby (Walker Books, £4.99) explores the emotions and reactions of two young children throughout the pregnancy and after the birth of their new brother. Although Wendy and Edward are excited when Walter comes home from the hospital, they soon realise they will have to change their lifestyle to adapt to the new arrival. This book for children aged two and over is humorously written and illustrated and will be a big hit with older siblings and parents everywhere.
Little Monster Did It! by Helen Cooper (Picture Corgi, £4.99) is a stunning picture book, told from a child's point of view and would appeal to children aged three to seven. When Mum returns from the hospital with a new baby, Amy's toy, Little Monster, takes an instant dislike to him. Together, the two friends cause havoc, stomping about, flooding the sink and banging drums, but Amy never takes the blame, always claiming "Little Monster did it!" A delight to read.
This comically illustrated tale for three- to seven-year-olds, I Want a Sister by Tony Ross (Picture Lions, £4.99) introduces the concept of a new sibling for the Little Princess. When she realises the new baby may be a boy, the Little Princess has her reservations. She doesn't want a smelly, rough brother who plays with the wrong sorts of toys. But when the baby arrives, she decides not to put him in the dustbin as she had planned. The family already has a Little Princess, maybe a Little Prince won't be so bad!
Twin Trouble by Jacqueline Wilson (Mammoth, £3.99) is an amusing and comforting story for confident readers aged six and over. Eight-year-old Connie is very happy being an only child, as she has her parent's undivided love and attention. So she is more than a little alarmed by the news that her mother is expecting twins. When the new babies arrive, things go from bad to worse, but events take an unexpected, magical turn when Nurse Meade arrives to help!
