What do you think?
Rate this book
Alvin Ho #5
Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night
Alvin Ho has come face to face with many scary things in the past:
-School
-Camping
-Birthday parties
-Even dead bodies
But this time he only has one issue, and it's da bomb: his mom is having a baby!
-School
-Camping
-Birthday parties
-Even dead bodies
But this time he only has one issue, and it's da bomb: his mom is having a baby!
183 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
About the author
Lenore Look
35 books117 followersI first began making picture books in kindergarten because my other career option at the time was stealing. But a life of crime requires practice and patience, neither of which I had, so I settled into industry, making what I coveted but what my parents could not afford to buy: beautiful books like the ones my teacher read to us in school.
Publishing was no problem in those days, not like it is now. By first-grade, I was my own publisher, making multiple copies of my books by hand. As for fame and fortune, I took care of that, too–I taught my brothers and the neighborhood kids how to wait in line for autographed copies, and I charged them 25 cents a book (an enviable paperback royalty today!), but also accepted candy.
By third grade, I had abandoned the literary scene. My parents had bought an old piano and signed me up for lessons and, thus, I began dreaming of becoming a world-famous concert pianist.
Then I came across a book on Maria Tallchief, and became a ballerina, just like that. I weighed only 40 pounds and could leap and pirouette all day without stopping. It was a lot easier than becoming a pianist.
Then I read a book about a surgeon, and one about a veterinarian, and another about a great tennis player . . . and I found myself wanting to become whatever I’d last read.
Eventually I grew up and became a newspaper reporter. It was the perfect job for me. I got paid to do the two things I loved most: writing and being curious. Working as a reporter taught me how to talk to people, how to find the story behind the story, and how to tell a story in a way that keeps a reader reading. I learned to listen to the way people talk. I learned to be precise and concise in my own choice of words. Best of all, the more I wrote, the more I was filled with a sense of wonder. I loved writing not only about what happens to people, but also about what happens inside of them, which is what writing for children is all about, but I didn’t yet know it.
It wasn’t until I became a mother and began reading children’s books again that I felt what the Chinese call yun fuen, a continuing of work begun in past lives. I had long forgotten my early foray into picture books, the thread I’d dropped in kindergarten, a thin rig, like the one a spider would use in rising. I had journeyed nearly 30 years down through space by then, unaware of my silken strand. Then one afternoon, with my two young children clamoring for something to do, I showed them how to fold paper into a book . . . picked up some crayons and a pen, and then . . . felt myself rising . . . returning to that place where I began, that brief age in which I had so many talents, and leapt and pirouetted into the sun, and could not stop.
Publishing was no problem in those days, not like it is now. By first-grade, I was my own publisher, making multiple copies of my books by hand. As for fame and fortune, I took care of that, too–I taught my brothers and the neighborhood kids how to wait in line for autographed copies, and I charged them 25 cents a book (an enviable paperback royalty today!), but also accepted candy.
By third grade, I had abandoned the literary scene. My parents had bought an old piano and signed me up for lessons and, thus, I began dreaming of becoming a world-famous concert pianist.
Then I came across a book on Maria Tallchief, and became a ballerina, just like that. I weighed only 40 pounds and could leap and pirouette all day without stopping. It was a lot easier than becoming a pianist.
Then I read a book about a surgeon, and one about a veterinarian, and another about a great tennis player . . . and I found myself wanting to become whatever I’d last read.
Eventually I grew up and became a newspaper reporter. It was the perfect job for me. I got paid to do the two things I loved most: writing and being curious. Working as a reporter taught me how to talk to people, how to find the story behind the story, and how to tell a story in a way that keeps a reader reading. I learned to listen to the way people talk. I learned to be precise and concise in my own choice of words. Best of all, the more I wrote, the more I was filled with a sense of wonder. I loved writing not only about what happens to people, but also about what happens inside of them, which is what writing for children is all about, but I didn’t yet know it.
It wasn’t until I became a mother and began reading children’s books again that I felt what the Chinese call yun fuen, a continuing of work begun in past lives. I had long forgotten my early foray into picture books, the thread I’d dropped in kindergarten, a thin rig, like the one a spider would use in rising. I had journeyed nearly 30 years down through space by then, unaware of my silken strand. Then one afternoon, with my two young children clamoring for something to do, I showed them how to fold paper into a book . . . picked up some crayons and a pen, and then . . . felt myself rising . . . returning to that place where I began, that brief age in which I had so many talents, and leapt and pirouetted into the sun, and could not stop.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
April 2, 2025
I did not like this one as much as the others in the series. The "sympathetic pregnancy" story line was downright bizarre.
December 31, 2015
This is the first book in the series that I read in print rather than listening to the audio version. I didn't realize how much I was missing- the illustrations made it even funnier! This one brings us back to Alvin's family and school adventures, with the focus being on Mrs. Ho's pregnancy. Alvin suffers from a "sympathetic pregnancy," which strikes fear into him and the rest of the 2nd grade class as well. Cute story, another fun Alvin Ho adventure.
January 1, 2013
Alvin Ho is amazing! He is so funny! This fifth book is hilarious as he really thinks he might have a baby too! I will highly recommend this to my kids at school.
June 20, 2020
Another good addition to a really good series of books for kids. Alvin becomes a big brother again, a burglar is on the loose and hilarity ensues. Lenore Look presents a child's eye view of the world that adults and children will equally enjoy.
February 18, 2020
Another funny book in the Alvin Ho series - this time he is sympathetically pregnant and worried about a burglar on the loose.
Read
April 23, 2014Picture book #3 Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and other Bumps in the Night
1. In this book, Alvin, an Asian boy in second grade, finds out that his mother is pregnant and he finds out he is also “simply pathetic pregnant”. Throughout the story he and his classmates and older brother look up information on being pregnant and one of his classmates even makes him a “PDK” or a Pregnancy Disaster Kit to help him survive his pregnancy. At home, Alvin eats Chinese food with his brother and younger sister, and they learn calligraphy from their “GungGung” or grandfather. Alvin’s mom signs him up for Hockey so he can lose some weight, even though Alvin doesn't know that’s what it’s for. The silly story takes us through his experience of learning all about pregnancy and finally realizing that he is not going to have a baby, only his mom. This book reminded me of when I was younger and my mom was expecting my baby brother. I didn't know what to expect since I was an only child, but I was told all the information about pregnancy through my mom and dad. I didn't really ask too much, but similar to Alvin, I helped out my mom with anything when she was pregnant. Both Alvin and I wanted the best for our mothers, even though we may have been a little scared of what would happen once the baby came.
2. Remembering: Name two things Alvin says he’s afraid of and why he fears them?
Understanding: How would you characterize Alvin’s brother Calvin? Use details from the story to explain.
Applying: What would have resulted if Alvin’s mom didn't take the three siblings to “Sibling School”?
Analyzing: What evidence can you find to explain why Alvin thinks he is going to have a baby like his mom?
Evaluating: Would you recommend people to turn their room into a “birthing room” for their mom? Why or why not?
Creating: What do you predict will happen once the baby is taken to Alvin’s house? Will he continue to help his mother? Will he be happy/sad? Why?
3. (2013, March 02). Horn Book Magazine. http://www.booksinprint.com/DetailedV...#
1. In this book, Alvin, an Asian boy in second grade, finds out that his mother is pregnant and he finds out he is also “simply pathetic pregnant”. Throughout the story he and his classmates and older brother look up information on being pregnant and one of his classmates even makes him a “PDK” or a Pregnancy Disaster Kit to help him survive his pregnancy. At home, Alvin eats Chinese food with his brother and younger sister, and they learn calligraphy from their “GungGung” or grandfather. Alvin’s mom signs him up for Hockey so he can lose some weight, even though Alvin doesn't know that’s what it’s for. The silly story takes us through his experience of learning all about pregnancy and finally realizing that he is not going to have a baby, only his mom. This book reminded me of when I was younger and my mom was expecting my baby brother. I didn't know what to expect since I was an only child, but I was told all the information about pregnancy through my mom and dad. I didn't really ask too much, but similar to Alvin, I helped out my mom with anything when she was pregnant. Both Alvin and I wanted the best for our mothers, even though we may have been a little scared of what would happen once the baby came.
2. Remembering: Name two things Alvin says he’s afraid of and why he fears them?
Understanding: How would you characterize Alvin’s brother Calvin? Use details from the story to explain.
Applying: What would have resulted if Alvin’s mom didn't take the three siblings to “Sibling School”?
Analyzing: What evidence can you find to explain why Alvin thinks he is going to have a baby like his mom?
Evaluating: Would you recommend people to turn their room into a “birthing room” for their mom? Why or why not?
Creating: What do you predict will happen once the baby is taken to Alvin’s house? Will he continue to help his mother? Will he be happy/sad? Why?
3. (2013, March 02). Horn Book Magazine. http://www.booksinprint.com/DetailedV...#
November 30, 2013
With each book in the series, I find myself liking the series less. In this fifth book in the series, Alvin Ho is dealing with something tragic: the pregnancy of his mother. I had never thought of Alvin Ho as being particularly stupid and/or hard of hearing, yet, when the book opens with his mother nearly nine months pregnant and him acting as if the news is brand new, I lost respect for Alvin. It is not as if this would be his first younger sibling. If that was the only slight issue I had with the book, I wouldn't have found it that bothersome. But what bothered me the most is the "sympathetic pregnancy" of Alvin, the fact that everyone: his mother, his older brother, ALL of his classmates, his teacher, his mom's doctor, everyone teases Alvin about his fat little belly that looks "eight months pregnant." Granted, not every one who mentions Alvin's pregnancy mentions an exact month. But this teasing about his belly, his weight, made me uncomfortable at best. Alvin and his classmates go to the library and read books on pregnancy; they look at pictures and decide amongst themselves how "far along" each boy is based on the size of his belly. It was just very strange. I could understand how children might get confused and misunderstand the language of adults, or the origin of babies in general. But, when Alvin openly walks around saying things like he's about to have a baby, that he obviously believes his "sympathetic pregnancy" is a real pregnancy and there are no adults in his life (or an older brother even) who tells him the truth, well, it just bothered me. Alvin's gullibility makes him appear foolish ON television. I don't enjoy cringe-worthy books. The humor felt all wrong in this book. I don't really understand why there was a second story about burglary if there wasn't going to be much resolution to it. Alvin is afraid of enough without adding to it.
April 25, 2013
Getting a new sibling is a pretty common theme in children's literature. Undoubtedly because for many children it is a big deal. But I doubt many books with that theme are as funny as this one. Alvin is stunned when his mother informs him that she is pregnant and will be having a baby. Alvin freaks out big time (not unusual for him). And he is even more shocked when he is informed that he is 'sympathetically pregnant' or 'simply pathetic pregnant' as he puts it. And his friends really aren't much help telling him the dangers of naming the baby, getting fat, and crying babies. In addition, Alvin is pushed into donating his life savings and his PDK (Personal Disaster Kit) to help those suffering from the earthquake in Haiti. Can Alvin learn how to deal with the coming baby? What if, horror of horrors, it's a girl?!
Alvin is a sweet boy who worries/stresses about pretty much everything on the planet, but who honestly wants to help others and do the right thing. And his family is always right there to back him up. His brother Calvin and his Rube Goldberg machines, Anibelly's kind words, and his mother's efforts to help him adjust to the coming baby all help give Alvin the support he needs to let go of some of his worries. The book is quite funny, Alvin is constantly misunderstanding what he is told by his teacher, his classmates and even his family. This book is a light fun read for early middle grade readers who may find themselves worrying about the world around them and the changes found there. Recommended.
Alvin is a sweet boy who worries/stresses about pretty much everything on the planet, but who honestly wants to help others and do the right thing. And his family is always right there to back him up. His brother Calvin and his Rube Goldberg machines, Anibelly's kind words, and his mother's efforts to help him adjust to the coming baby all help give Alvin the support he needs to let go of some of his worries. The book is quite funny, Alvin is constantly misunderstanding what he is told by his teacher, his classmates and even his family. This book is a light fun read for early middle grade readers who may find themselves worrying about the world around them and the changes found there. Recommended.
March 7, 2015
Allergic to Babies, Buglers, and Other Bumps in the Night by Alvin Ho is a humorous story about a boy of Asian descent. The book tells the story of a boy who has sympathetic pregnancy because his mother is pregnant. He picks up weight, his stomach gets bigger, and he really thinks he is going to have a baby. One of the things he is allergic to is babies, and he does not want a new baby and especially a girl baby. His mother has a baby girl. He thinks there is a good chance the baby he will be have will be a boy. His mother tells him there is no baby with a sympathetic pregnancy.
The main character is Asian-American boy and his Asian-American famly. There is little recognition of this fact is the story. His friends are not Asian-American. I do not think this fact is a big deal but it is worth noting. On many of the pages within the margins are nice drawings of him, his family, and the people in the story.
All children can relate to his fears of his house being broken into. His believes he should take his life savings to school because there have been break-ins in the houses in his neighborhood. On the bus to when his friends find out he has brought his life savings to school, they all laugh at him. He tells his classmates he did it because if his house gets broken into they will not get his money. All the kids on the bus sigh, and say they wish they would have brought their money like him.
The main character is Asian-American boy and his Asian-American famly. There is little recognition of this fact is the story. His friends are not Asian-American. I do not think this fact is a big deal but it is worth noting. On many of the pages within the margins are nice drawings of him, his family, and the people in the story.
All children can relate to his fears of his house being broken into. His believes he should take his life savings to school because there have been break-ins in the houses in his neighborhood. On the bus to when his friends find out he has brought his life savings to school, they all laugh at him. He tells his classmates he did it because if his house gets broken into they will not get his money. All the kids on the bus sigh, and say they wish they would have brought their money like him.
March 12, 2015
I loved the book and so did my little reluctant reader. I almost had him this time. He took the book from me and started to read on his own. Then a moment later he gave it back. It is not that he can't read, it's that he chooses not to.
Unfortunately, like his father, and like Montgomery Scott a/k/a Scotty of Star Trek, my son would rather pick up a non-fiction book of his choosing and spend time with that. Hmm. That's not bad, is it?
But what of literature? I understand struggling to engage in a book that does not hold your interest, but he loves the Alvin Ho books.
Anyhow, back to Alvin. I think that this book is the best in the series. Perhaps it is because the characters and the author's style is no well known to my son and I. He is making predictions as to how Alvin, Anibelly and Calvin are going to react to things and is often right. This book is extremely cute and funny. Alvin is suffering from simply pathetic pregnancy and thinks he is going to have a baby. Soon all the children are helping Alvin figure out what to expect when he is expecting.
This is the last book in the series thus far. Happily enough, I've got one more book as we got our hands on them out of order. Next up, Alvin is afraid of funerals.
Unfortunately, like his father, and like Montgomery Scott a/k/a Scotty of Star Trek, my son would rather pick up a non-fiction book of his choosing and spend time with that. Hmm. That's not bad, is it?
But what of literature? I understand struggling to engage in a book that does not hold your interest, but he loves the Alvin Ho books.
Anyhow, back to Alvin. I think that this book is the best in the series. Perhaps it is because the characters and the author's style is no well known to my son and I. He is making predictions as to how Alvin, Anibelly and Calvin are going to react to things and is often right. This book is extremely cute and funny. Alvin is suffering from simply pathetic pregnancy and thinks he is going to have a baby. Soon all the children are helping Alvin figure out what to expect when he is expecting.
This is the last book in the series thus far. Happily enough, I've got one more book as we got our hands on them out of order. Next up, Alvin is afraid of funerals.
May 14, 2013
Alvin Ho Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night by Lenore Look, illustrated by LeUyen Pham – 1st grade and up! How fantastic was this Alvin Ho? I really do believe Lenore Look outdoes herself with every new Alvin Ho book she writes! I’ve been obsessed with Rube Goldberg for quite a while… what do you know? Lenore incorporated his creations into her story, in the most fitting way! Sympathetic pregnancy? Why yes, Alvin suddenly thinks he’s pregnant as well as his mom… Accidentally losing your entire savings and being simultaneously thought of as a hero? Yes, thank you. Getting into the head of a child who gets mixed up, misunderstands, is sometimes oblivious, and often quite nervous would be quite the feat for another author, but not Lenore Look. That’s the thing about enjoying a great book by an author, at the end, you’re throwing the book up in the air and crying, “Where’s the next one?” and “But what happened with this… that…. and the other part…” Cannot wait to find out what happens next to Alvin. Also… I love how you can completely enjoy these books out of order!
March 4, 2017
Alvin’s mom is having a baby. As if he doesn’t have enough to worry about already, like losing his Personal Disaster Kit and the burglars breaking into homes in the neighborhood. Alvin is suddenly wanting to eat everything in sight and his belly is growing almost overnight. Could he be pregnant, too?
Alvin is this generation’s Charlie Brown – a bit neurotic, yes, but still quite endearing. I laughed out loud more than a few times while reading this, especially when he mixes words up, as young children often do (simply pathetic for sympathetic). His schoolmates trying to “help” with his pregnancy by reading him facts from library books and their own sibling experiences were also funny. The illustrations of Alvin (and his ever-expanding belly) in this volume are “super-duper,” to use his own turn of phrase. I like that, while Alvin does have certain things he does or says that show him to be Asian-American, they are not the focal point and he’s just like any other child . . . who happens to be very anxious. I would recommend this for upper elementary readers.
Alvin is this generation’s Charlie Brown – a bit neurotic, yes, but still quite endearing. I laughed out loud more than a few times while reading this, especially when he mixes words up, as young children often do (simply pathetic for sympathetic). His schoolmates trying to “help” with his pregnancy by reading him facts from library books and their own sibling experiences were also funny. The illustrations of Alvin (and his ever-expanding belly) in this volume are “super-duper,” to use his own turn of phrase. I like that, while Alvin does have certain things he does or says that show him to be Asian-American, they are not the focal point and he’s just like any other child . . . who happens to be very anxious. I would recommend this for upper elementary readers.
June 30, 2016
It's been about 5 years since my daughter and I last read Alvin Ho. Now that my son just finished 2nd grade - and has suddenly become more open-minded in regards to reading material! - I had a feeling he might enjoy reading about a Chinese boy in 2nd grade. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that since we last left Alvin, two more books have been published in the series! Hooray!
I picked up this book, and it was like those 5 years hadn't passed at all. Alvin is still in 2nd grade, and he's still scared of pretty much everything. Through humor and empathy, we see how sensitive, lovable Alvin comes to terms with his mother's pregnancy.
Alvin is such a sweet boy, my heart just about melted when he and his siblings built the birthing nest for their mom.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I felt it left one loose thread hanging. A little closure on that bit about the burglar would have been nice.
I picked up this book, and it was like those 5 years hadn't passed at all. Alvin is still in 2nd grade, and he's still scared of pretty much everything. Through humor and empathy, we see how sensitive, lovable Alvin comes to terms with his mother's pregnancy.
Alvin is such a sweet boy, my heart just about melted when he and his siblings built the birthing nest for their mom.
The only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I felt it left one loose thread hanging. A little closure on that bit about the burglar would have been nice.
January 28, 2013
Goofy and cozy, with a warmly accepting family that reminded me a little of the family in Wonder. I'd recommend the series to fans of Junie B. Jones, Stink Moody, or Grace Lin's Pacey series.
When Alvin is given a Pregnancy Disaster Kit by his friend, he's freaked out by the directions:
To me, however, those sound like pretty good parenting tips.
When Alvin is given a Pregnancy Disaster Kit by his friend, he's freaked out by the directions:
1. Wrap it in the blanket.
2. Use hand sanitizer.
3. Use powder on the butt.
4. Put the butt on the diaper.
5. Eat cheese 'n crackers (but see #2 first)
6. Play Mozart cd.
7. Don't panic.
8. Be a good daddy!
I ignored her. I ignored the basket, which was not a PDK, but a BDK--a Baby Diapering Kit! I wanted to tell her this, but my mouth felt like it filled with diaper cream.
To me, however, those sound like pretty good parenting tips.
August 19, 2014
I had the great pleasure of meeting Lenore Look in 2012 and hosting her for an author's visit at my library. She was a true delight and I loved hearing her story of how Alvin came to be. What I find particularly amusing and possibly ironic about this book is that I had just had a my son in 2011 and she was in the process of coming up with the outline for this book when she came to visit. So maybe I put babies in her head? Who knows? This was definitely one of the best in the series and I dearly loved Alvin's sympathetic pregnancy and his reaction to the news itself. I also greatly appreciated Lenore's inclusion of landmarks around Concord that I recognize and have been to, since I used to live in the area. All in all, a hilariously enjoyable read!
March 14, 2015
I am a big Alvin Ho fan - and after this book even more than ever. He is such a great character and Lenore Look does a wonderful job bringing him to life, making him feel so genuine, so real, that I am now at the point that I think I must have met Alvin for real! I guess I also have such a soft spot for Alvin because I am a big worrier myself, have been a scared kid and grown into a scared adult... Some of us just are like this. Great to see us represented in literature ;) I of course also loved what Alvin had to say about the Dewey Decimal System: "The Dewey numbers, as everyone knows, are an alien plan to organise our books for transport into outer space. And you need someone who can read alien to use it."
May 27, 2013
Alvin Ho is back and is as quirky as ever. He thinks his mother is just putting on weight from eating too much. But it turns out that she is having a baby. Alvie is not too sure this is a good thing. With babies come so much responsibility. And what if the baby is a girl?? Now Alvin is really worried. In fact, Alvin starts imagining he is having the baby and starts to have all sorts of feelings. Adding to his worries is the news that a burglar has been spotted in the neighborhood. But Alvin has come fact to face with many scary things in the past like school, camping, birthday parties and even dead bodies. Can Alvin overcome his fears this time?
June 19, 2018
It has been a while since I spotted an Alvin Ho book and was happy to revisit an old friend. This is the first book in the series that I did not find laugh out loud hilarious. Alvin's mother is having a baby but Alvin seemed to have missed the news. He thought his mom was just getting chubby and he is too polite to mention it. He too is getting increasing chubby and when he realizes his mother is pregnant wondered if he too could be pregnant. The doctor tells him it is a sympathetic pregnancy which Alvin translates to a "simply pathetic pregnancy". Maybe I am just too far separated from second graders to believe that the boys would all get so caught up in believing that they could be having a baby. At home, the building of the "better" birthing room was sweet. All of the children contributing to the warm, wonderful area in case mom needed it, then they all climbed into the "nest" and promptly fell asleep.
June 3, 2021
I love the Alvin Ho series. They are in graphic novel format and the illustrations are vivid and tell a story all on it's own. In this series Alvin's mother is pregnant and he has a wide range of emotions because remember Alvis is scared of everything. As Alvin continues to eat based on him being scared, he puts on a few pounds, he then begins to think he is pregnant as well. As he moves through the adventures and the misunderstanding Alvin prepares himself for being a big brother. A really great story geared for 3-5th graders. Although this is a graphic novel, this is a good book because the story and the pictures work hand in hand to tell the best story.
Read
January 3, 2020this book is cute, I first read it in 5th grade and thought why not read it again. It is a series that is about a boy who is "allergic" or scared of everything. It is pretty funny too. I recommend this book to anyone who does not might reading a boy that is a little kiddish but it is pretty easy to read so.
August 21, 2018
This was my favorite Alvin Ho allergy thus far. Between sympathetic pregnancies, actual buglaries and just the right amount of crying this humorous tale was a delight from start to finish. I can't wait to see what Alvin will think of next!
January 12, 2021
I love reading these books to my kids! They are hilarious! They're made all the better through these wonderful illustrations as well. My boys and I have listened to the audio books, but I highly recommend reading the books themselves. Great and good fun.
October 25, 2013
In his fifth book, Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night, Alvin Ho learns that his mother will soon have a baby. Soon after, he begins to experience signs of a sympathetic pregnancy, including weight gain. Alvin becomes convinced that he’s going to have a baby himself, a fact which terrifies him and many of his classmates. Also causing him anxiety are a string of local burglaries, the hockey team his mother makes him join, and the fact that his father is out of town.
I have always enjoyed the Alvin Ho books, but I have to admit that this isn’t the strongest book of the series. I’m actually surprised by the number of rave reviews I’ve read on Goodreads because I think there are a lot of problems in the story, and they make themselves known fairly early on.
To start with, I found it entirely implausible that Alvin’s mother has repeatedly told the family she is expecting a baby and Alvin has just not been paying attention. When a family undergoes this kind of change, it is all anyone talks about, and there is no way even the most distracted child would just be totally unaware of the impending new arrival. Similarly, I can’t imagine a second grader believing that he is pregnant simply because his mother is. I suppose the alternative to this storyline might have been an uncomfortable discussion of where babies come from, but Alvin’s belief that he is actually going to give birth to a baby is ridiculous and unbelievable. I didn’t even think it was funny, because it just didn’t seem like the kind of thing a seven-year-old could truly believe. Even his sympathetic pregnancy symptoms seem suspicious. Does that even happen to kids?
One of the most common comments I used to hear from parents when I suggested this series is that they were concerned Alvin’s worries would fuel their own children’s worries, or encourage them to be afraid of things they’d never even considered. I have always been able to assure them that these books poke fun at common fears and that kids will feel less fearful after laughing at Alvin’s silly fears. I could imagine this book being disturbing to some kids, though. I was uncomfortable reading about Alvin’s supposed pregnancy symptoms, and I was pregnant myself at the time!
There are a few very sweet father/son and family/new baby scenes at the end of this book that do help to redeem it a little bit, but overall, it’s the weakest of the series thus far and far from my favorite. I appreciate that this book tried to do something different with the typical new baby storyline, but I would argue that it doesn’t work. I hope for a much better storyline from book 6, and that we start to see Alvin evolve a little bit beyond his fears, as it seems like the author is running out of plausible ways to scare him.
I have always enjoyed the Alvin Ho books, but I have to admit that this isn’t the strongest book of the series. I’m actually surprised by the number of rave reviews I’ve read on Goodreads because I think there are a lot of problems in the story, and they make themselves known fairly early on.
To start with, I found it entirely implausible that Alvin’s mother has repeatedly told the family she is expecting a baby and Alvin has just not been paying attention. When a family undergoes this kind of change, it is all anyone talks about, and there is no way even the most distracted child would just be totally unaware of the impending new arrival. Similarly, I can’t imagine a second grader believing that he is pregnant simply because his mother is. I suppose the alternative to this storyline might have been an uncomfortable discussion of where babies come from, but Alvin’s belief that he is actually going to give birth to a baby is ridiculous and unbelievable. I didn’t even think it was funny, because it just didn’t seem like the kind of thing a seven-year-old could truly believe. Even his sympathetic pregnancy symptoms seem suspicious. Does that even happen to kids?
One of the most common comments I used to hear from parents when I suggested this series is that they were concerned Alvin’s worries would fuel their own children’s worries, or encourage them to be afraid of things they’d never even considered. I have always been able to assure them that these books poke fun at common fears and that kids will feel less fearful after laughing at Alvin’s silly fears. I could imagine this book being disturbing to some kids, though. I was uncomfortable reading about Alvin’s supposed pregnancy symptoms, and I was pregnant myself at the time!
There are a few very sweet father/son and family/new baby scenes at the end of this book that do help to redeem it a little bit, but overall, it’s the weakest of the series thus far and far from my favorite. I appreciate that this book tried to do something different with the typical new baby storyline, but I would argue that it doesn’t work. I hope for a much better storyline from book 6, and that we start to see Alvin evolve a little bit beyond his fears, as it seems like the author is running out of plausible ways to scare him.
March 18, 2013
Pick this up if you're looking for a good laugh; Alvin's humour just keeps getting better! Alvin is surprised by the news that his mother is expecting another baby, and Alvin doesn't take surprises well. When he complains of feeling heavy and unwell, his mother tells him he must have a sympathetic pregnancy, which Alvin translates as a 'simply pathetic pregnancy'. He tells his friend Flea, and before long not only do all his other friends know about it, they start feeling sympathetically pregnant too!
While some slightly older readers may take this joke further than it was intended to go, everything in the story is hilariously ridiculous and delightfully innocent. And it's beautiful to see how Alvin's experience changes his heart: he goes from dreading a constantly crying nuisance to making a special place for the fourth child in their siblings' embrace. "Tonight there was a space next to me for a baby. It was small and warm and quiet. It smelled like dreams. And it was shaped like me and Calvin and Anibelly and Lucy, put together like eggs in a nest." (awwwwww!)
It's also refreshing to see a loving fictional family with four children, especially with each of the four appreciated for their own little personality. Alvin's antics teach us to treasure and enjoy family life.
As usual, there are too many comedic gems to count, let alone relay. But as well as being funny, they're all remarkably character building too. From Alvin's interactions with his friends (who give each other hilarious pregnancy advice), his friendship with his older brother (a little Shakespeare cursing pillow fight helps them to fall asleep), his love for his dad (who gets caught in Calvin's thief trap but still greets Alvin with a hug), and for his mum (he prepares her a PDK - pregnancy disaster kit - which mainly includes photos of himself so she won't forget him), to his lessons at sibling school, his letting go of his PDK and coming to terms with giving all his money to charity... and most of all, his being completely captivated by the baby, whose pearly shells of eyelids and whispery hair steal his heart.
Between laughing and heart-melting, Alvin is the best remedy I know for a stressful day.
Happily reviewed for www.GoodReadingGuide.com
November 7, 2012
Oh, no. Alvin Ho's mother is pregnant. Another baby? That's bad enough, but what if this one is a GIRL?? It's just about more than Alvin can bear. Then things get even worse: Alvin starts feeling sick, and he overhears someone say he is having a sympathy pregnancy. WHAT?!? He's simply pathetic pregnant??
And there you have the basis of the fifth book in this funny, sweet series. Alvin spends most of his time worrying about what in the world he's going to do when his mom's new baby comes, and all the pains of pregnancy he's experiencing himself (he is simply pathetic pregnant, after all). Oh--and eating. Lots and lots of eating.
While I would normally balk at a boy Alvin's age thinking he's pregnant, this is Alvin Ho we're talking about, and a boy so easily terrified might be just the one to worry himself over such a thought. So I rolled with it, and it worked for me. I fell in love with Alvin Ho in his first book, and while the sequels have not quite charmed me as much as the original did, I still like them all. I always want more Flea, because she's my favorite sassy, self-confident girl. I wish Alvin's dad had appeared in this one more; the relationship between them is simply priceless and I love every scene they share. I also missed his grandparents here; they're wonderful characters, as well. That's the thing for me, I guess: Lenore Look has created character I truly adore in Alvin and his parents and grandparents, and Flea and Anibelly, especially. They're just delightful, all of them.
I think kids will really like this one, and I think some little boys will absolutely crack themselves up laughing at the idea of Alvin thinking he's pregnant. I can almost see them clutching their stomachs and rolling on their sides in my library floor now.
And there you have the basis of the fifth book in this funny, sweet series. Alvin spends most of his time worrying about what in the world he's going to do when his mom's new baby comes, and all the pains of pregnancy he's experiencing himself (he is simply pathetic pregnant, after all). Oh--and eating. Lots and lots of eating.
While I would normally balk at a boy Alvin's age thinking he's pregnant, this is Alvin Ho we're talking about, and a boy so easily terrified might be just the one to worry himself over such a thought. So I rolled with it, and it worked for me. I fell in love with Alvin Ho in his first book, and while the sequels have not quite charmed me as much as the original did, I still like them all. I always want more Flea, because she's my favorite sassy, self-confident girl. I wish Alvin's dad had appeared in this one more; the relationship between them is simply priceless and I love every scene they share. I also missed his grandparents here; they're wonderful characters, as well. That's the thing for me, I guess: Lenore Look has created character I truly adore in Alvin and his parents and grandparents, and Flea and Anibelly, especially. They're just delightful, all of them.
I think kids will really like this one, and I think some little boys will absolutely crack themselves up laughing at the idea of Alvin thinking he's pregnant. I can almost see them clutching their stomachs and rolling on their sides in my library floor now.
April 6, 2015
Lenore Look's, Alvin Ho: Allergic to Babies, Burglars, and Other Bumps in the Night is the 5th book in the Alvin Ho chapter book series.
This book chronicles the experiences of an Asian-American 2nd grader named Alvin Ho. Throughout the book, Look details Alvin's coping mechanisms as he deals with the reveal of his mothers pregnancy. the idea of bringing another life into the world turns Alvin's little life upside down and as readers, we are there every step of the way. In coping, Alvin does everything in his power to understand his mothers situation including: Alvin himself taking on a sympathetic pregnancy, learning the rules for changing diapers, receiving a “PDK” or a Pregnancy Disaster Kit to help him survive his pregnancy from a classmate, and much more! Though Look chronicles Alvin's quest to learn the ins and outs of pregnancy, she also records every emotional stride along the way, including Alvin's disgust with the thought that his new sibling could potentially be a.....GIRL!
This book is filled with laughs and realistic and relatable moments. I think that having this book, along with the entire Alvin Ho series in a classroom library for grades 2-4 is ideal. I believe that this book will ultimately aid students in dealing with everyday, real issues or occurrences.
Tags - Pregnancy, Humor, Alvin Ho, Family, Family Issues, Friendship, Weight Gain, Stress, Burglary
Pages - 192
Genre - Fiction
This book chronicles the experiences of an Asian-American 2nd grader named Alvin Ho. Throughout the book, Look details Alvin's coping mechanisms as he deals with the reveal of his mothers pregnancy. the idea of bringing another life into the world turns Alvin's little life upside down and as readers, we are there every step of the way. In coping, Alvin does everything in his power to understand his mothers situation including: Alvin himself taking on a sympathetic pregnancy, learning the rules for changing diapers, receiving a “PDK” or a Pregnancy Disaster Kit to help him survive his pregnancy from a classmate, and much more! Though Look chronicles Alvin's quest to learn the ins and outs of pregnancy, she also records every emotional stride along the way, including Alvin's disgust with the thought that his new sibling could potentially be a.....GIRL!
This book is filled with laughs and realistic and relatable moments. I think that having this book, along with the entire Alvin Ho series in a classroom library for grades 2-4 is ideal. I believe that this book will ultimately aid students in dealing with everyday, real issues or occurrences.
Tags - Pregnancy, Humor, Alvin Ho, Family, Family Issues, Friendship, Weight Gain, Stress, Burglary
Pages - 192
Genre - Fiction
March 31, 2013
As with Alvin Ho: Allergic to Dead Bodies, Funerals, and Other Fatal Circumstances, this book left me feeling disappointed. I liked how Lenore Look dealt with Alvin's mother's pregnancy and his sympathetic (aka "simply pathetic") pregnancy. What I did not like was the fact that not only did the robber steal the donations the kids had raised for the victims of the Haitian earthquake, but he was never caught and the donations weren't restored! Title alliteration and dramatic effects aside, I was really dissatisfied that he was seemingly forgotten about by the end of the book. This leaves me feeling especially disappointed as Look has never before carried over a theme from one book to another, so I expect this loose thread will be forever loose.
December 3, 2013
Alvin's anxiety is at an all-time high. The news that his mother is pregnant comes as a complete surprise to him. Of course, Alvin becomes "simply pathetic pregnant” and starts putting on weight, reasonably sure he too will have a baby. The stress continues to mount: losing his life savings at school (albeit for a good cause), the menace of a neighborhood thief, being forced to play hockey against his will. But all ends relatively well when Alvin is introduced to his new baby sister (of course, he wanted a brother). This fifth installment of the series is filled with lots of comedy and love. Alvin’s family is caring and conventional; the sibling relationships ring true. Alvin’s imaginative narration, typical of second graders, is peppered with entertaining black and white illustrations. Alvin’s creative and amusing glossary of terms used in the story is an added bonus. The fast-paced chapters move the story along and it will be a quick read for some. Fans of new baby stories and Alvin will no doubt love this title.
May 11, 2013
This may be my favorite Alvin Ho book to date! Alvin, afraid of everything,faces the biggest challenge of all-his mom is pregnant! And somehow, Alvin was 'unaware' of this fact and the information is too much for him. He develops a "simply pathetic" pregnancy (sympathetic pregnancy) and thanks to his informative older brother and friends he truly believes himself to be pregnant.
All of this on top of the fact that his dad is out of town, there's a burglar plaguing the neighborhood, and Alvin accidentally donated his whole life savings on account that he couldn't leave his money at home for the burglar!
Summary: When fearful seven-year-old Alvin Ho learns that his mother is expecting a baby, he develops a sympathetic pregnancy--adding to his worry about the burglar who is targeting Concord, Massachusetts.
All of this on top of the fact that his dad is out of town, there's a burglar plaguing the neighborhood, and Alvin accidentally donated his whole life savings on account that he couldn't leave his money at home for the burglar!
Summary: When fearful seven-year-old Alvin Ho learns that his mother is expecting a baby, he develops a sympathetic pregnancy--adding to his worry about the burglar who is targeting Concord, Massachusetts.
April 24, 2016
Alvin's mother is very pregnant. Somehow Alvin managed to blank her pregnancy out, or not pay attention, or misunderstand the discussions. And, of course, he is alarmed.
When his mother comments that he has a sympathetic pregnancy Alvin mishears/misunderstands her and thinks she is saying he has a pathetic pregnancy, and believes that somehow he is pregnant too. Other misunderstandings lead half the boys in his class to think they are also pregnant.
Alvin's father is out of town on business when there are a string of burglaries in the area. Alvin and Calvin set up a Rube Goldberg-inspired trap to catch a burglar breaking into their home.
When his mother comments that he has a sympathetic pregnancy Alvin mishears/misunderstands her and thinks she is saying he has a pathetic pregnancy, and believes that somehow he is pregnant too. Other misunderstandings lead half the boys in his class to think they are also pregnant.
Alvin's father is out of town on business when there are a string of burglaries in the area. Alvin and Calvin set up a Rube Goldberg-inspired trap to catch a burglar breaking into their home.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews