Picture books about siblings
Our digital content coordinator Bronte Coates shares some of her favourite picture books about siblings.
Stupid Baby by Stephanie Blake
Stephanie Blake is a favourite at Readings, and so she should be! Her stories about Simon, a small, irreverent rabbit, are nose-snortingly-laugh-out-loud with bold, colourful illustrations and a healthy dash of grossness that kids will love. In this story, Simon’s parents bring home a new baby, much to Simon’s dismay – now he has to be quiet all the time, and who’s going to protect him from the scary wolves outside? The twist ending is smartly funny with a secret meaning for kids old enough to get it.
Recommended for ages 3–7
There’s Going to be a Baby by John Burningham and Helen Oxenbury
Author John Burningham and illustrator Helen Oxenbury explore the ambivalence a small child feels about the arrival of a new baby in this whimsical story. As the seasons change and his mother’s baby bump grows, the boy and mother wonder about what the baby will be like. The dialogue between them is full of subtle humour that illustrates the boy’s unease: ‘Maybe when the baby grows up, it will be a chef and work in a restaurant’ / ‘I don’t think I’d eat anything that was made by the baby’. The boy’s imagination is brought to life with comical wordless sequences gently rendered in muted colours.
Recommended for ages ages 2–6
The Brothers Quibble by Aaron Blabey
Aaron Blabey’s picture books are terrifically funny, and this rhyming tale of the love/hate relationship between two brothers is a great read for your own warring siblings. When Spalding Quibble’s parents bring home a baby called Bunny, Spalding is incandescent with rage, but as Bunny gets older, Spalding starts to realise that there are good things about having a younger brother too. I’m a big fan of how this book acknowledges that brothers will never stop fighting completely – but that this doesn’t mean they don’t love each other all the same.
Recommended for ages 2–8
Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman and Zachariah O'Hora
When Mr and Mrs Bunny bring home a wolf son, their sensible daughter Dot seems to be the only one who realises that they’re all in serious danger of being eaten up by the new arrival. While Wolfie makes himself at home (and clearly adores his big sister), Dot remains vigilant: ‘Wolfie slept through the night… Dot did not.’ I love Zachariah O'Hora’s illustrations which are somehow nostalgic and fresh all at once, and this is a very cute story in which the big sister gets to saves the day, for which she is rewarded with a big wolf hug.
Recommended for ages 3–6
The New Small Person by Lauren Child
Here is another story about a child who’s happy to be ‘an only’, but then finds themselves saddled with an unwanted baby sibling. Elmore Green is the reluctant big brother who must contend with the arrival of ‘a small new person’ disrupting this well-ordered world (and bedroom!). This story has a great ending where the younger brother gets to be the hero, and Lauren Child’s distinctive art and storytelling style will make this book particularly appealing to Clarice Bean and Charlie and Lola fans.
Recommended for ages 3–7
You’re All My Favourites by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram
Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram are the author and illustrator team behind the phenomenally popular Guess How Much I Love You, and You’re All My Favourites is more of the same – another heartfelt story about cuddly animals. In this book, a mama and papa bear must reassure their three little bears that they’re all equally wonderful despite (and even, because of) their individual quirks.
Recommended for ages 3–7
15 Things Not to Do with a Baby by Margaret McAllister and Holly Sterling
This is a bright and silly book with plenty of appeal. A big sister is shown doing all kinds of irresponsible things you should definitely NOT do with your baby brother: ‘Don’t give the baby to an octopus to cuddle; Don’t play the trumpet when the baby’s trying to sleep.’ The words address the older child directly, making this one a lot of fun to read aloud. If you’re worried about your child finding the book too literal, it ends with a list of things you definitely should do (such as give your baby brother lots and lots of love).
Recommended for ages 2–5
Whatever Happened to My Sister? by Simona Ciraolo
‘I’d had my suspicions for a while that someone had replaced my sister with a girl who looked a lot like her.’ A younger sister is confused by how her older sister has changed in this bittersweet portrayal of adolescence. Simona Ciraolo’s artwork is striking, and even though the story is a little sad, there’s a gentle humour that cuts through the melancholy and the ending itself warmed me right to my toes.
Recommended for ages 5-8
Plus, here’s a few recommendations for junior and middle readers that feature siblings:
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Dory Fantasmagory by Abby Hanlon – A younger sister with a BIG imagination is ignored be her older siblings, until she wins them over with this very same imagination. Ages 5+
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The Tapper Twins Go to War (with each other) by Geoff Rodkey – A hilarious tale of a set of twins whose sibling conflict escalates into a full-blown prank war. Ages 7+
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The Family with Two Front Doors by Anna Ciddor – Think Little Women set in 1920s Poland for this story of a big, rambunctious Jewish family preparing for a wedding. Ages 9+
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The Crossover by Kwame Alexander – This gut punch of a verse novel about two basketball-obsessed twin brothers covers some big issues, but the brother’s strong bond ultimately prospers. Ages 10+
- The Other Side of Summer by Emily Gale – This moving story of a tween and her family recovering from her brother’s death is also a nuanced portrayal of an evolving relationship between sisters. Ages 11+
