Book Review
Children's Books
By Unity Dienes
Hollis NH USA
From: NEW BEGINNINGS, Vol.
20 No. 1, January-February 2003, p. 22
Reading children's books
about pregnancy, birth, and babies can be one helpful way parents prepare
a child to become a big brother or big sister, but there are so many
such books available that it can be difficult to know which book is
right for a given child.
A child's age, interests,
and specific concerns about a new (or not-so-new) baby should be taken
into account when choosing books to help the transition to becoming
a sibling.
For very young children who
will soon be the "big brother" or "big sister,"
two books by Jeanne Ashbé are ideal. They are small, square books
just right for a toddler's grasp, and every sturdy page has a flap to
open.
What's Inside delights
children with the "inside view" of what makes up their world.
What's inside the present? ("A cuddly little bunny.") How
about a television? ("Oh my! It's complicated!") And what
about mommy's tummy? In a very natural progression, What's Inside
validates the child's curiosity about his or her mother's pregnancy,
and keeps it in the realm of understandable things. Real mothers don't
have windows to the womb, and the idea that a baby is growing inside
can be baffling to a small child. What's Inside simply illustrates
the idea that there really is a baby in there who will, at last, come
out.
And After That uses
a format similar to What's Inside, but focuses on the time after
the baby's birth. The top of every flap shows what comes first, and
under each flap, of course, shows what comes after. After socks, come
shoes. After dinner, comes dessert. And after the baby's born, well,
some things will change but others will not. There is a sweet illustration
of a mother breastfeeding, and after that, "You will have a snack,
of course!" Breastfeeding is depicted as the natural way to feed
a baby, just as it is customary to feed an older child a snack at a
table. This book relies on predictable associations in a child's life
to make the imminent changes after the birth of a sibling more understandable.
Young children may be confused and nervous about how things will change
when a new baby joins the family. And After That makes the changes
as unthreatening as the progression from dinner to dessert--and every
bit as nice.
Preschoolers and older children
may better appreciate Baby on the Way, by William and Martha
Sears and Christie Watts Kelly, which also focuses on the time of the
mother's pregnancy. This book invites children to imagine (in terms
they can understand) feeling hungry, thirsty, tired, "yucky,"
sore, and in a mood to "snuggle down all safe." Sometimes
expectant mothers forget to explain to their children how they feel-this
book fills that void. Although it is unrealistic to expect very young
children to be truly empathetic and understanding of their mothers'
problems, understanding the physical discomfort of pregnancy may help
some children to be less confused about their mother's behavior.
Later, when the "belly
squeezes" result in the much-anticipated birth, the baby will need
to be held, the baby will cry, and, of course, the baby will breastfeed:
"Tiny babies just sleep and nurse all day long." It can be
hard to wait so long for the baby to be born, but "soon your new
baby will be here for you to love, too." This book is special because
it not only prepares children for the needs of a newborn, but also acknowledges
that pregnancy itself can be difficult on the children.
Baby on the Way can
appeal to a wide age range of children. Sidebars with "answers
for the very curious" give information in slightly more scientific,
but still understandable, terms for children who are a little older.
"What You Can Do" boxes suggest activities that children can
help parents with to prepare for the baby's arrival. The illustrations
depict a pair of siblings being joined by a third child, so this book
is particularly appropriate not only for children expecting a first
sibling, but also for children who may have one or more siblings already.
Another book that does a
particularly fine job of depicting the duration of pregnancy and the
passage of time is Sophie and the New Baby by Laurence and Catherine
Anholt. Sophie has to wait such a long time for the new baby to be born-all
the way through spring, summer, autumn, to the very first snowfall of
winter. When her brother finally arrives, she is very excited at first!
Her baby brother is so soft and cuddly. But some days "he wanted
to be fed, he wanted to be changed, he wanted to be cuddled, and he
wanted it all right now." Sophie gets frustrated! And who can blame
her? She wants the playmate she was promised, and she does not want
to wait any longer! But of course, she must wait, and by the time spring
rolls around again, Sophie realizes her waiting is over. She has come
to terms with her brother, and they have a whole new year ahead of them.
This beautifully illustrated book (which, incidentally, depicts the
baby breastfeeding) is appropriate for girls or boys. Since the "difficult
period" here is infancy, it is most appropriate to children who
are or soon will be living with an infant sibling. Children may also
appreciate this book at the beginning of their mother's pregnancy, since
it visually demonstrates the length of time between the announcement
of a pregnancy and the birth of a baby.
Preparing for a new baby
is one thing, but it's a different challenge to address the concerns
of the child having trouble with a baby brother or sister who has been
around for a while. Written by a sixth-grade girl, I Was Born to
Be a Sister is an autobiographical story. It describes the author's
journey from her initial delight at the baby brother's birth, to her
dismay at his sometimes frustrating toddler behavior, to her happiness
as she realizes how he looks up to her and the responsibility that implies.
I Was Born to Be a Sister would be especially appropriate for slightly older children frustrated
with a toddler sibling. The illustrations are delightful, and astute
readers will enjoy looking for subtle references to breastfeeding, such
as the magazine the mother is reading, the nursing mother at the swimming
pool, or the nursing fashions worn by the mother. Additionally, follow-up
activities and a song can be found at the publisher's Web site, cited
on the book's cover.
Whatever their age, children
may need help adjusting to the birth of a sibling. These five books
each target children with slightly different needs, so choose the one
(or more) that works best for you and your child.
Last updated Wednesday, October 25, 2006 by njb.
Page last edited Sun Oct 14 09:30:02 UTC 2007.
