The brother book

PreS-K-These two like-minded titles add to the author's previous books about families with simple sentences and minimalistic illustrations. The books contrast sisters or brothers with wildly colorful (and sometimes improbable) faces, bodies, or hair that present an assortment of siblings-each a "special part of your family." Simplicity of illustrations reveals not only diversity of appearance and personality, but the variety of personalities and preferences within all families and among sisters or brothers, even those who do not live at home. Boldly lined, painted images of each book's pages feature identifiable mirrorlike pages of the other book that repeat similar text and ideas, all presented in the author's iconic child-friendly fonts. For example, "Some sisters (brothers) like to hang out with you. Some sisters (brothers) like to spend time alone." Both titles encourage social and emotional discussions about self and place in the family, allowing the very young to visualize members of their own family. VERDICT These beginning books for listening and learning are recommended general purchase.-Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Brother describes a range of brotherly attributes: "Some brothers like to play house. / Some brothers like to play trucks." Sisters get the same treatment: "Some sisters help in the kitchen. / Some sisters help in the garage." The gender-role-subverting odes to siblinghood are supported by Parr's customary we're-all-okay message and his signature emotive cartoon art in a marvelously bombastic palette. [Review covers these titles: The Brother Book and The Sister Book.] (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.