Review by Booklist Review
Ten-year-old James reigned as the only child until the arrival of baby brother Joe, who constantly charms their parents with little effort. "My parents lose their minds. / They think he's so cool / As he poops and he drools / Which he does ALL THE TIME." In this amusing, rhyming tale, tan-skinned, green-haired James confesses his initial reactions to his new sibling and his fantasy of sending Joe back. Everything changes, however, when the family goes to pizza night at the Magical Pan. When Joe's diaper has an odor, the parents decide it's time James faces the "milestone" of using the baby-changing station. It's a magical night, indeed, as a screen in the restroom appears, giving James several options, like an electric guitar, for trading in his brother. When he considers alternatives, like forming a band one day with his brother instead, James finds an appreciation for his smelly, future friend. Santat's comical, exaggerated illustrations, toned in green, highlight the right blend of stinky baby, magical forces, and humor for families with new additions.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ten-year-old James thinks life with his baby brother, Joe, can't get any worse: "Now that he's here,/ It's perfectly clear/ That I/ Am in/ The way." At the tan-skinned family's official pizza night, his exhausted parents announce that James will have to change Joe's "loaded up" diaper in the restaurant restroom. The bathroom's baby changing station, however, is no ordinary amenity: a screen offers Joe three chances to change the "crybaby" into "cool stuff"--such as a pair of six-string electric guitars--and erase all memory of the "dumb kid" so no one is the wiser. But each tempting choice makes James ponder a future without his brother as a comrade or co-conspirator ("More often than not,/ Siblings who rock/ Make the best bands, says my father"), leading him to realize that "though he's my nemesis/ I see a world in which/ He and I someday are friends." The idea of a kid taking on his parents' duties may not sit well with all readers, but Santat's (The Blur) generously scaled, operatically expressive pencil and watercolor art and Miller's (No More Poems!) age-appropriate weltschmerz propel the story forward, making for a contemporarily poo-laden twist on a Faustian bargain. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Jennifer Gates, Aevitas Creative Management. Illustrator's agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (Aug.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--James is not thrilled with the addition of an infant brother, Joe, into his family. He fantasizes about how to send this smelly, attention-stealing sibling back, especially when his parents force him to change a diaper. A relatable and humorous experience, each character's feelings and intentions are vibrantly depicted with digital illustrations in color pencil and watercolor. James, with comic-book style layered "phantom arms" holding diaper changing gear, is juxtaposed on the opposite page of Joe, clapping delightfully with a smile stretched wide. No words are needed to impart story or characterization here. James narrates his woes in first-person rhymes and near-rhymes. Most of the stanzas follow a Spanish sestet form; unfortunately, this form works best in shorter works and some of the slant rhymes interrupt the natural flow when reading aloud. VERDICT A funny new sibling story, but imperfect; recommended for larger libraries.--Rachel Zuffa
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
What if the baby-changing station in the men's room could change a baby brother into something much cooler? James--a 10-year-old with large brown eyes and a mop of green-tinted, dark hair--immediately catches readers' attention by saying he has done something he feels badly about. No, James hasn't actually done anything wrong, but he feels guilty about his jealousy of his new little brother and his thoughts of returning the infant through the U.S. mail. When baby Joe poops just as the family begins a meal at their favorite pizza house, the hungry, exhausted parents assign James his first "diaper duty." Adults may bristle at this unexpected burden on James, but the funny art makes the task seem less onerous. Before leaving the men's room, James is tempted by a mysterious screen that offers him the opportunity to exchange the infant for night-vision specs, electric guitars, or a chemistry set and promises to erase all family memories of the baby. James gains insight as he considers and rejects each offer; the baby's final reaction provides warmhearted closure. The AABCCB rhyme pattern generally works; words such as subsequent, nemesis, and contention are clear from context. The family is tan-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Hilarious potty humor--with a purpose. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
