Basil Becomes a Big Brother

PreS-K—This new-baby book doesn't add anything to the genre. Basil has just found out that he's a big brother and is going to visit his mom and new siblings. But when he and his father arrive at the hospital, the bunny discovers that he still isn't able to get close to his mother because the infants are getting all of the attention. With reassurances from his older brother that the babies will be more fun when they're bigger, Basil decides that being a big brother is something to be proud of and gets a hug from his mother. This book tends to tell, rather than show, with many actions spelled out in the text instead of depicted in the art. The illustrations of the rabbit family are soft and sweet, but can also miss the mark. On the page where Basil is a little miffed and "wonders why everyone is so excited over these pink, wrinkly babies," he actually looks like he's smiling and the contrast is disconcerting. Kevin Henkes's Julius, the Baby of the World (Greenwillow, 1990) is among the many better choices.—Marian McLeod, Darien Library, CT