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Books About Sibling RelationshipsStories by Zemach, Keats, Wells and Hoban
Sibling rivalry is one challenge parents face when they have more than one child. These books present solutions to diminish resentment between brothers and sisters.
Parenting is complicated when siblings are introduced. Often feelings of jealousy or competitiveness erupt between brothers and sisters in their attempts to express their individuality, please their parents or regain attention they feel has been lost. These four picture books for young readers help children, and their parents, understand how to best deal with such situations of sibling rivalry. Margot Zemach's To Hilda for Helping This 1977 book (Farrar, Strauss and Giroux) by renowned illustrator Margot Zemach won the Caldecott Medal. It tells the tale of three sisters, Gladys, Rose and Hilda. The first two sisters never help their parents, but Hilda always does. Her father makes her a medal that says, "To Hilda for Helping" on it. Of course, this attention makes the other sisters jealous, and particularly Gladys. She becomes a bully towards Hilda and tries to take the medal away. Hilda resists and, countering Gladys, asserts that even if she loses her medal, it will grow into a medal tree, thereby preserving her positive acts. Such a story relays the necessity of treating each sibling uniquely and of the importance of standing up for oneself. Ezra Jack Keats' Peter's Chair A brightly coloured Reading Rainbow book, originally published in 1967 (Harper Trophy), Keat's tale concerns a boy's feelings about his brand new sister. At first, Peter is resentful as his mother paints his old cradle pink, and his father paints the highchair and crib pink also. He spies his old chair, still unpainted, and runs away with it. However, he soon realizes he can't fit into the chair anymore. His mother finds him and Peter returns, deciding to paint the chair pink with his father. A story that reminds one of the time it can take for a child to accept a sibling and the importance of involving them directly in the changes that will occur. Rosemary Wells' Noisy Nora A favorite with early readers for its participatory dialogue and fun rhymes, Noisy Nora (Dial Library 1973) features a disgruntled mouse girl. Nora is trying to get her parents' attention by making a lot of fuss and mess. They don't notice her though, as they are busy playing with the older sister, Kate, or tending to the baby brother, Jack. Nora finally gets tired of waiting and runs away. Then the whole family stops what they were doing and looks for her. She re-appears at the end in her rambunctious fashion. A tale that emphasizes the significance of giving each child individual attention and making them feel special amid one's busy schedule. Lilian Hoban's Arthur's Christmas Cookies One of a series of Arthur books, this one (Harper & Row 1972) continues the story of the lovable but somewhat befuddled monkey brother in seasonal fashion. Arthur wants to get a present for his parents but he's spent all his money and the things he made just didn't turn out right. Meanwhile, his perfect younger sister, Violet, has made a paperweight in her Bake-E-Z Oven. He asks her to use the oven so he can bake cookies, an endeavor partially assisted by his buddy Norman and his sister Wilma. Squabbles ensue over obtaining the ingredients, rolling out the dough and, when they taste them, they all realize the cookies are hard and salty. At first Arthur is disconsolate. Then he makes them into Christmas ornaments, helped out by Violet. This story shows the positive outcome of siblings working together rather than combating each other in the quest for their parents' affections.
The copyright of the article Books About Sibling Relationships in Picture Books is owned by Catherine Owen. Permission to republish Books About Sibling Relationships in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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