The Subject Is Siblings
10 picture books about brothers and sisters
Wolfie the Bunny
By Ame Dyckman (2014 EJK Book Award winner), illustrated by Zachariah Ohora (Little, Brown, 2015)
This tale, featuring a funny, strong girl character, illustrates the bonding between siblings in an adoptive family. The characters are bunnies and a wolf.
The New Small Person
By Lauren Child (Candlewick Press, 2014)
Colorful images and succinct text illustrate, with light and humor, how much a new sibling upsets everything. The characters are African-American.
The Baby Sister
By Tomie de Paola (Penguin Putnam Books, 1996)
Old-fashioned and quiet, this book offers no surprises, but the gentle text and images are warm and welcoming. The characters are Caucasian.
Julius the Baby of the World
By Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, 1990)
Lily, a funny, strong girl character, lets out most of her hateful feelings about having a new baby brother. No harm done, and Lily gets to vent her frustration and move on to better feelings. Lily appears in a number of Henkes books. The characters are mice.
One Special Day
By Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Jessica Meserve (Hyperion Books, 2012)
A happy, rambunctious older brother calms down when he’s with his new baby brother. His easy transition is a refreshing take on acquiring a sibling. The characters are Caucasian.
Stevie
By John Steptoe (HarperCollins, reprint, 1986)
Stevie is a young boy fostered by the family of the narrator, a older boy Stevie follows everywhere. As in real life, at first the older boy sees Stevie as a nuisance, but gradually realizes that he has gotten used to having him around. The characters are African-American.
Chloe, Instead
By Micah Player (Chronicle Books, 2012)
In bold, colorful images and no uncertain terms, Molly, a strong girl character, compares the younger sister she wanted to Chloe, the sister she got instead. The characters are Caucasian.
Henry’s First-Moon Birthday
By Lenore Look, illustrated by Yumi Heo (Atheneum, 2001)
Henry is one month old and his sister Jenny is helping prepare for a family party. As the day goes on, she assumes the role of older sister, in charge of a very lucky baby. The story is rendered in colorful, childlike illustrations, as if by Jenny herself. The characters are Chinese-American.
Oh, Brother!
By Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Mike Benny (Greenwillow Books, 2007)
Twenty poems that tell the story of step-brothers bonding despite one thinking the other is a complete fake, get the bad feelings out in a good way. The characters are Hispanic.
Lola’s Fandango
By Anna Witte, illustrated by Micha Archer (2012 EJK Book Award Honor Book, available in English and Spanish, Barefoot Books, 2011)
Unusually, the story is told from the perspective of the younger sister. Lola wants to prove she is just as special as her sister, Clementina, and finds a way to shine. The characters are Latina.
EJK Award Winners
Looking for multicultural children’s stories? Bring our winning books to school
