I'D RATHER HAVE AN IGUANA

The protagonist of this predictable picture book feels overshadowed by her new baby brother. She no longer has time with her mother, who is always feeding, changing, or walking around with the baby. Her father is hopeless when it comes to braiding hair and his recipe for tuna fish sandwiches includes too much mayonnaise. While many readers may have these feelings, the narrative is more cloying than effective; the moments of mild humor are brought out more in the lively colored illustrations. With Kevin Henkes’s Julius, Baby of the World and so many other titles with identical plots available, Mario’s may have trouble finding room on the shelves. (Picture book. 4-7)