CHICKA CHICKA I'M A BIG BROTHER
From the Chicka Chicka Book series
by Bill Martin Jr & John Archambault ; illustrated by Daniel Roode
Abecedarian encouragement for getting a new sibling.
Two pups, one slightly larger than the other, playfully scamper up and around an orange tree. The first page lays the foundation: “I told my family, / and my family told me, / the best big brother / knows the ABCs.” Both capital and lower-case letters scuttle around in a series of spare tableaux. “S is for sharing / toys and books every day.” (A capital S reads a book to a smaller one.) The opposing page completes the rhyme: “T is for together: / I’ll show you the way.” (Two T’s totter atop a rocking horse, the larger one supporting the smaller one.) A mixture of aspiring big sibling traits (“K is for kind. / I’ll help when you’re in need”) and simple declarations of affection (“L is for love. / Big brother takes the lead”) combine for a sweet family portrait, inspired by the classic Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. A cheery polka-dot border adds energy and verve, while hearts shower the pages, reinforcing the love. The upper-case letters provide steadiness, comfort, and guidance to the lower-case ones, just as an older sibling should. Publishes simultaneously with Chicka Chicka I’m a Big Sister (2026).
A welcome addition to the Chicka Chicka oeuvre.
(Picture book. 3-5)