What the No-Good Baby is Good For

by Elise Broach, Abby Carter (Illustrations)

Having reached his limit with the loud, troublesome baby in the house, John tells his mother that it is time to make some changes and suggests that it is time for the baby to go back from where it came, in an amusing tale of sibling rivalry.

Genres: Picture Books, Family, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 19, 2005

About the author

Elise Broach is the New York Times bestselling author of children's books including Masterpiece, Shakespeare's Secret, Desert Crossing, Missing on Superstition Mountain (the first book in the Superstition Mountain Trilogy) as well as several picture books. Her books have been selected as ALA notable books, Junior Library Guild selections, a Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book, a New York Public Library Best Book for the Teenage, an IRA Teacher's Choice, an E.B. White Read Aloud Award, and nominated for an Edgar Award, among other distinctions. Ms. Broach holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Yale University. She was born in Georgia and lives in the woods of rural Connecticut, walking distance from three farms, a library, a post office and two country stores.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/eliseb...

Reviews

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of disappointing that the only things the baby does that are worthwhile to her brother are things that involve making him feel superior to her. Hmmmm. Not one I would pick to share with my child.

[Tara Burlingame · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this started out as a really cute book, I was disappointed with how the book ended. I was hoping that the no good baby would be appreciated by her sibling by the end of the book. I feel this book will send the wrong message to young children. You can’t just ask Mommy to randomly get rid of the baby, not even for a day (not all of us have that privilege).

[Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute book about a young boy who is tired of his little sister and wants her to go away. Sounds like in my house with K and his sister A. The mother goes along with okay she can go, but she made him tell her about the good things of having his sister there. That is what I thought was a good thing to do. So for every negative thing the brother had to say there was also something positive.
The only thing that was bothersome for me was the constant repeating of the no-good baby, though after a while it just kind of rolled off the tongue.

The illustrations are cute and this would be a good book for those that are expecting a new baby to come into the house to prepare for what could happen when you have a new little one.
The behavior the no-good baby does isn't very good behavior so I wouldn't recommend this book to the younger kids as they may think this behavior is okay.

[Emerson and Theodore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book. Validates the feelings of the older brother who is sick and tired of the baby.
By the way did I mention that Emerson presented a toast at dinner a few nights ago? It went a little something like this:
"I love my Dorio and I will love him even more when he gets a little older".
And then again at chipotle: he held up his little box of milk and said "I love my mommy and daddy and my brother Theodore. And I will love him more when he gets older". Then we all said "cheers!"

[Erika Conley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to bring up the conflict of siblings. When John says that his little sister must go, he packs her suitcase and then realizes that there are some things that he likes about her. The illustrations are sweet and describe the story perfectly.

[Ham · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seriously. How many books do we really need about learning not to hate a new baby? Is that the only problem early readers face nowadays? I'm waiting for the book on how not to use the entire role of toilet paper to wipe yourself.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book for older siblings of babies. A boy decides he doesn't want keep his baby sister, and Mom says ok. Very cute.

[Tim Hardin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good book on sibling rivalry or envy.

[Monica Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of many in the list of sibling rivalry books. The no good baby might be good for something after all.