A Guide to Sisters

PreS-Gr 2—Metcalf's enumerated guide is a joyous celebration of the special (if sometimes frustrating) relationship between female siblings. Beginning with a new arrival's first moments home from the hospital, "warm and squishy like a freshly baked loaf of bread," the author acknowledges the viewpoint of older sisters in this warmly humorous and honest book. She officially addresses such topics as cuteness, fun and games, tickling, style ("Some have it…/…some don't"), clothes, makeup (otherwise known as markers), sharing, making stuff, cleaning up, and the inexpressible comfort of a sister to share a bed in the middle of the night. "When night comes, it's time to put aside all the day's fighting and be kind to each other." While the child offers some sharp commentary on fairness, jealousies, and everyday irritations, negativity takes a backseat to the positive when summarizing the extraordinary gift of a little sister. Small, loosely limned images merge bright color with pen and ink outlines, while a mixture of fonts, plenty of white space, and spare placement of text add a crisp simplicity to each page.