My son's 6-year old friend recently confided to me as he was walking out the door, "Hey, Carolyn, I might get a sister! Then, without missing a beat, he added "...or a puppy." I asked which one would be better, and after a long, pregnant pause, he decided on the sibling. He is a 6-year old only with no sibs, and I wondered how he would really fare with this transition.
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| Julius Baby of the World, by Kevin Henkes |
That's what I love about Julius, Baby
of the World by Kevin Henkes. If read with dramatic flair, this
book is great in a story time setting. The illustrations have a
droll, poke-fun-at-yourself-until-it-hurts quality, but they are a
little small for large story time crowds.
Still, I love this story about Lilly,
one of Henkes most beloved little mouse characters. The fact that Julius upstages Lilly, even in the title, underscores the feelings of this
story about sibling rivalry. This book is laugh-out-loud funny, but
is told with a poignant realism that explores the feelings of displacement that children often experience when a new baby
comes along. This book will make you groan, then laugh, then groan some more and laugh even harder.
Lilly thinks her brother Julius is
disgusting and dreadful, and even shouts to a stranger on the street,
“You will live to regret that bump under your dress!” But her
attitude turns around when her cousin decides that Julius is horrible
too. And true to Lilly's flamboyant, princess style, she rises to the
occasion by forcing her cousin to admit that Julius is the baby of
the world.
Tone it Down
You may want to pair this book with
other titles that are a little more cuddly on the baby spectrum
during story hour. Check out any of Karen Katz's loving looks at
babies, for cuddling and kissing. Then toss in a little Gyo Fujikawa
with the vintage title Babies. This precious book is whimsical and
very cute.
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