Before You Were Born: A Lift-The-Flap Book by Jennifer Davis, et al

  What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby by Heidi Murkoff

  What to Expect When the New Baby Comes Home by Heidi Murkoff

  I'm a Big Sister by Joanna Cole (Author), Maxie Chambliss
 
 
 

Books for Families with a New Baby on the Way
 
 

Picturebooks:

  Alexander, M. Nobody Asked Me If I Wanted a Baby Sister.
In this classic little picturebook, Oliver tries to give away his baby
sister, but decides to keep her when she indicates that she wants him.

  Alexander, M. When the New Baby Comes, I'm Moving Out.
A companion to Nobody Asked Me if I Wanted a Baby Sister, Oliver expresses
his resentment of the impending new baby by first threatening to throw his
mom into the trash, then deciding to run away himself. Ultimately, his
mother convinces him that the family needs him.

  Andreae, G. There's a House Inside My Mommy
In rhyming text and abstract terms, describes a baby growing inside a
little boy's mother and the little boy's eagerness to meet his sibling.

  Anholt, Catherine. Sophie and the New Baby
After the arrival of the long awaited for "Winter Baby," Sophie is dismayed
to find how much attention he needs from her parents. But by Spring, she
teaches her brother to smile and is able to play with him.
 

Auch, Mary Jane. Monster Brother.
Rodney imagines his baby brother will look like a monster if he arrives
with his aunt's skinny legs and his Grandpa's large nose. Fortunately, the
baby lookslike Rodney and is loud enough to scare away any actual monsters
from their bedroom.

  Ballard, Robin. I Used to Be the Baby
A young boy helps his mother care for his baby brother. He enjoys his
"big-brother" role, but admits he sometimes likes to be the baby, too.

  Ballard, Robin. When I Am a Sister
A father reassures his young daughter that they will still have special
times together even after he and her stepmother have a new baby.

  Berenstain, J. and S. The Berenstain Bears' New Baby.

  Bogart, J. Daniel's Dog
A young African-American boy adjusts to the arrival of his new baby sister
with the help of his imaginary dog. Features a child's realistic
frustrations and positive interactions with a baby.

  Bond, R. Just Like a Baby
Family members, from grandparents to sibling, each contribute a step in
making a cradle for the new baby. Colorful illustrations and fine lyrical
text.

  Boyd, L. Sam Is My Half-Brother.
A father explains to his daughter, Hessie, why the baby born to him and her
stepmother is called her "half-brother." The baby needs a lot of attention
now, but by next summer you'll be able to play with him, the father
reassures Hessie.

  Bradman, T. Billy and the Baby.
As Billy's mom and dad get out his old baby clothes and toys to prepare for
the new baby, Billy chooses some items to create a special gift.

  Brown, M. Arthur's Baby.
Arthur's sister, D.W., is  more interested in learning about and helping
with the new baby than Arthur is, but Arthur manages to lend a helping hand.

  Buck, N. Hey, Little Baby!
An energetic, upbeat romp featuring an older sister showing the new baby
all of the things she is able to do--with the intention of teaching it all
to him.

  Bunting, Eve. Our Teacher's Having a Baby.
As they wait for their first grade teacher's baby to be born, the children
in her class write letters to the baby, suggest names for the baby, and
learn that teachers can be mothers and mothers can be teachers.

  Burningham, J. The Baby.
A young boy expresses his feelings and observations about having a new baby
in the house. Very simple, succinct text and illustrations reflect an older
toddler to young preschool attitudes.

  Byrne, D. Stay Up Late.
Expressionistic illustrations accompany the lyrics to a song by David Byrne
about having a new baby in the house.

  Carlson, N. Poor Carl.
Victor points out all the things that baby brother Carl can't do, but how
lucky Carl is to have him for an older brother.

  Cazet, D. Dancing.
Alex's father sings a song to reassure him that he is still loved, even
though there is a new baby in the family.

  Cooper, H. Little Monster Did It!
A small girl's favorite stuffed toy seems to be responsible for the
mischievous "accidents" that begin occurring after a new baby brother
arrives home.

  Corey, D. Will There Be a Lap For Me?
An African-American boy, Kyle misses his time on Mother's lap while she is
pregnant and is happy when the birth of his baby brother makes her lap
available again.

  Cousins, L. Za-Za's Baby Brother.

  Cutler, J. Darcy and Gran Don't Like Babies.
Darcy's grandma helps her accept that it's ok not to really like the new
baby - and to realize that deep down she probably does.

  Denton, K. Would They Love a Lion?
Feeling neglected because of the family's new baby, Anna transforms herself
into different animals hoping to be noticed.

  dePaola, Tomie. The Baby Sister
The author describes waiting for his new sister and mother to return home
from the hospital to meet him and his extended family.

  Driscoll, D. Baby Comes Home.
Gradually, an older sister warms up to the new baby on his first day home
and makes faces at him and sings to him in his crib.

  Farley, J. A Special Something
A little girl imagines what strange things could be inside her mother's
tummy and is pleased to learn it's her new baby brother.

  Foreman, M. Ben's Baby.
Ben asks his parents for a baby for his next birthday and by the time it
comes around he has a baby brother.

  Franklin, J. Don't Wake the Baby.
Marvin sneaks into the sleeping baby's room and incorporates the baby's
crib in his noisy play activities. But it's not until Marvin falls asleep
that the baby awakes.

  Galbraith, K. Katie Did!
Mary Rose blames her doll Katie for the troubles she caused trying to
"help" her mother with her baby brother. After rescuing the "lonely" turtle
from the fish tank, Mary Rose's mother takes time to play with her, and
Katie, too.

  Girard, L. You Were Born on Your Very First Birthday.
Suggests what a baby experiences inside its mother. Black and white
drawings show a baby growing in the womb and being born.

  Gliori, Debi. New Big Sister.
A young girl describes her mother's pregnancy from bouts of morning
sickness to spaghetti sandwich snacks to the birth of her twin siblings!

  Godfrey, J. Sam's New Baby
Sam wonders if he is as special as his new baby sister.

  Graham, R. Jack and the Monster.
Jack's new baby brother seems like a monster to him, howling and making
messes all over the house, until he discovers how to view the addition to
his family more positively.

  Gregory, V. Shirley's Wonderful Baby
Everyone thinks Shirley's new baby brother is wonderful - except
Shirley.   It isn't until Shirley learns how to help with some of the
things a new baby needs (diaper changes, feeding and playtime) that she
discovers how special babies are and how wonderful it is to be a big sister.

  Hanson, M. The Difference Between Babies and Cookies
A little girl finds that babies aren't quite as her mother described, but
irresistible all the same.

  Henderson, Kathy. Baby Knows Best
Rhyming text and whimsical pictures humorously portray the truth that
babies often prefer adult objects to the toys and other baby items
presented to them.

  Henkes, Kevin. Julius, the Baby of the World.
This classic picturebook takes a lighthearted look at sibling jealousy.
After he is born, Lilly is not very nice to baby Julius, or "the Germ" as
she calls him. But in the end, Queen Lilly teaches her cousin to show the
proper respect for the baby of the world.

  Hiatt, F. Baby Talk
Joey relates to his baby brother more when he tries speaking his language.

  Hines, A. Big Like Me.
A little boy plans what he'll show his baby sister how to do, month to
month, as she grows bigger.

  Hoban, R. A Baby Sister for Frances.
Things change around the house after her baby sister is born, so Frances
decides to run away--but not too far. Her parents reassure her that she is
missed and needed to make their family complete.

  Horowitz, R. Mommy's Lap.
Sophie misses sitting on her mother's lap which gets smaller as the new
baby grows. But when Sophie's mom comes home from the hospital with her
brother Sam, there is room on her lap for both Sophie and Sam. Sophie finds
she likes holding Sam on her lap, too.

  Keats, Ezra Jack. Peter's Chair.
When Peter, a young African-American boy, discovers his blue furniture is
being painted pink for a new baby sister, he rescues the last unpainted
item, a chair, and runs away.

  Keller, Holly. Geraldine's Baby Brother.
Resentful of the attention her crying baby brother receives, Geraldine
ignores him, until one night she decides to read him some stories.

  Keller, Holly. Too Big.
Henry is too big to wear the baby's clothes, but not too big for a hug.

  Kleven, E. A Monster in the House
A boy imagines a huge fierce beast as he listens to his new neighbor
describe the monster that lives at her house, who screams, spits up on
everything, and sucks his toes. But he discovers that "monster" is just the
endearing nick-name she uses for her baby brother.

  Knight, Joan. Opal in the Closet.
Feeling left out since the arrival of a new baby, precocious Opal begins
hiding and jumping out to scare members of her household. Finally, her
family includes her in the care of the baby and Opal ends her hiding game.

  Knotts, Howard. Great-Grandfather, the Baby, and ME.
Confused and upset when his father leaves their rural home to fetch his
mother and new baby sister, a young boy finds solace in his
great-grandfather's reminiscence about travelling for miles across the
sparsely settled prairie to see a new baby. Text-rich and black and white
illustrations suitable for young schoolage children.

  Laing, Kate. Best Kind of Baby
When Sophie's parents tell her that they are going to have a baby, she
pretends that it will be a baby animal, but decides that a baby brother is
best after all.

  Lakin, P. Don't Touch My Room.
Reluctant to have his room changed in preparation for a new baby, a little
boy eventually becomes more protective of his baby brother than of his own
toys and play area.

  Markes, J. I Can't Talk Yet, But When I Do
Sweetly depicts the activities an older sibling can do with an infant.

  McClelland, J. This Baby.

  McCully, Emily Arnold. New Baby.

  Mennen, I. One Round Moon and a Star for Me.
The father of a young boy from rural South Africa assures him that he is
indeed his son, and as special as the new baby.

  Meyers, Susan. Everywhere Babies
Endearing illustrations and brief text depict a diversity of babies, the
various ways they are cared for, and all they can do in their first year of
life.

  Michels-Gualtieri, A. I Was Born to Be a Sister
At first, a 3-year-old girl is delighted to become a sister when her baby
brother is born. The story describes the fun she has playing with her
brother and then her annoyance with some of his toddler antics. With
patience, she learns to become a friend to her brother, as well as a sister.

Murdocca, S. Baby Wants the Moon.
Sonny worries about how much his baby sister will grow, especially when she
seems to eat all the time.

  Ormerod, Jan. Just Like Me.
A very young girl describes her new baby brother by comparing him to a
bunny, a puppy, and other images. Simple text and illustrations suitable
for very young children.

  Palatini, Margie. Good as Goldie

  Polushkin, Maria. Baby Brother Blues.

  Robins, Joan. My Brother, Will.
Chronicles the first year of baby Will living with his older brother Kit,
depicting Will's development and eventual mastering of walking. Simple text
and colorful illustrations convey how older siblings contribute to the care
and development of a new baby.

  Schwartz, Amy. A Teeny Tiny Baby
Charming picturebook depicts new parents' life with a newborn, told from
the baby's perspective as he describes his activities throughout the day.

  Shute, Linda. How I Named the Baby.
As he happily anticipates the new baby, James and his family try to come up
with the best name possible. Includes lists of girls' and boys' names and
their meanings.

  Steel, Danielle. Max's New Baby.
Follows the story of 5-year-old Max as he observes his mother's pregnancy
and changes in the household to accomodate a new baby, culminating on the
happy day when his mother gives birth to twins.

  Steptoe, J. Baby Says.
Portrays a moment between a young African-American boy and his little
brother, where the baby engages him in a simple game. Very simple text and
realistic illustrations.

  Stevenson, J. Worse Than Willy!
Grandpa sympathizes when Louis and Mary Anne complain about their new
little brother Willy, then embarks on a funny and fanciful story about the
time his infant brother rescued him from seventeen hideous pirates and a
trained octopus.

  Stimson, Joan. Big Panda, Little Panda.

  Szekeres, C. Toby's New Brother

  Titherington, Jeanne. A Place for Ben.
When his baby brother is moved into his bedroom, Ben seeks of a place of
his own but finds himself longing for company of some kind--which finally
is happily provided by his baby brother. Soft, realistic illustrations
accompany this simple story.

  Vulliamy, C. Ellen and Penguin and the New Baby.
Ellen and her stuffed toy, Penguin, have difficulty adjusting to a new baby
brother until the baby is quieted by them. Simple text and bright
illustrations.

Waddell, M. When the Teddy Bears Came.
So many teddy bears arrive at his home as gifts for the new baby, little
Tom worries that there won't be any more room for him. But his mother
assures him there is and together they can all look after the baby.

Wahl, J. Mabel Ran Away with the Toys
A young girl has a happy life with her parents and her toys, until her baby
brother arrives. Annoyed by his crying, Mabel decides to move to her
playhouse, but soon seeks the comforts of home again.

  Walter, M. My Mama Needs Me.
A touching portrayal of Jason, a young African-American boy, determined to
help his mother during her first day home with the new baby despite
entreaties from friends and neighbors to play.

  Weiss, N. Chuckie.
A little girl starts misbehaving when her baby brother arrives, but has a
change of attitude when he says his first word.

  Wells, R. McDuff and the Baby
McDuff, a small terrier, enjoys his life reading the paper with Fred and
taking walks in the woods with Lucy, but all that changes when they bring a
new baby home. This story endearingly portrays the adjustment that animals
and pet-owners must make when a new baby arrives.

  Whybrow, I. A Baby for Grace
Little Grace feels left out when the new baby comes home, but receives some
welcome attention when she brings some garden flowers in for the baby, and
later, when her dad takes her to the park.

  Winter, Susan. A Baby Just Like Me.
School-age Martha, an African-American girl, is disappointed to learn that
her new baby sister can't play with her. Reassured by her mother, Martha
patiently accepts the baby who soon becomes a "real sister."

  Winthrop, Elizabeth. Bear and Roly-Poly.

Wishinsky, F. Oonga Boonga.
Baby Louise can't stop crying, no matter what her mother, father,
grandparents, and neighbors try to make her stop. Only when her big brother
Daniel comes home and says the magic words, Oonga Boonga, does Louise
finally stop. Cheerful, colorful illustrations help depict this story of
close sibling ties.

  Ziefert, H. Waiting for Baby.

Nonfiction:

Andry, Andrew C. Hi, New Baby.
With black and white drawings, this informational book for preschoolers
explains to an older brother or sister why a new baby needs a lot of
attention, and shows how they can help.

  Anholt, Catherine. Here Come the Babies

  Clifton, L. Everett Anderson's Nine Month Long.

  Collman, B. Kid's Book to Welcome a New Baby : Fun for a Big Brother or
Big Sister
Suggests activities to help children feel good about themselves as they
prepare for baby's birth, and entertain and help care for the baby.

  Douglas, A. Baby Science : How Babies Really Work!
Big, bright photographs and text directed to young readers explain why
babies look and act the way they do. Suggests activities for children to
try to help them better understand baby behavior and needs.

  Green, J. Our New Baby Part of the How Do I Feel About series
Colorful drawings illustrate various situations that prompt the variety of
feelings real kids have about a new baby joining the family.

  Hamilton-Merritt, J. Our New Baby.

  Hanley, S. Peek-a-boo! : 101 Ways to Make Baby Smile
Bright, colorful photographs show different family members interacting with
a baby and some of the activities an infant can do.

  Hains, H. My Baby Brother.

  Harris, R. Hi New Baby!
Tenderly depicts a young girl's annoyance with her new baby brother, until
she realizes that older siblings are still special and loved. Features
beautiful, realistic illustrations of a newborn's expressions.

  Heiligman, D. Babies: All You Need to Know (J 305.232 He)
Published by National Geopgraphic, this colorful picturebook describes some
of the scientific facts about a baby's growth and development.

  Holland, V. We Are Having a Baby.

  Jessel, C. The Joy of Birth: A Book for Parents and Children.
Although dated, the black and white photos and informational text in this
book provide a realistic look at pregnancy, childbirth, and care of a
newborn. Includes a section on babies that need special care, and an
illustrated glossary.

  Lasky, K. A Baby for Max.
Black and white photos accompany text written from the perspective of
five-year-old Max. Realistically depicts a family preparing for birth,
childbirth in a hospital, and feelings and interactions between Max and his
new sister.

  Lewison, W. Our New Baby
Photographs show young children what a new baby is like. Brief text
suggests how young children may feel when a new baby joins the family and
points out the "grownup" things an older sibling can do.

  Ormerod, Jan. 101 Things to Do With a Baby.

  Rockwell, Lizzy. Hello Baby!

  Rogers, Fred. The New Baby.

  Ziefert, H. Getting Ready for New Baby.
Anticipates questions a young child may have about having a new baby in the
family, including emotions, how babies are made, and child
development. Sensitive and simple text accompany illustrations of a family
of dog characters.

  Videos and DVDs

Hey, What About Me?
Geared toward young children, this 30-minute video shows real kids talking
about their fears, concerns, excitement and pleasure with having a new baby
in the family. Depicts what it's like to live with a baby and demonstrates
songs to sing and other fun activities to do with a baby.

  ADOPTION

Adoption is for Always

  A Mother for Choco

  Tell Me Again About the Night I was Born

  Cole, J. How I Was Adopted

  All About Adoption: How Families Are Made and How Kids Feel About It
Using simple language, describes the stages of the adoption process and
discusses complex feelings commonly felt by adopted children. Concludes
with a note to parents, offering practical tips.

  Thomas, P. My New Family : A First Look at Adoption
Big, colorful pictures and brief text geared to young children explain
adoption, the feelings of insecurity an adopted child may have, and the
concept of biological parents, adoptive parents, and foster parents.
Includes a note to adults with advice about "How to Use This Book"

  -"What to expect when Mommy's having a baby" by Heidi Murkoff is good,
and only has a couple of pages with "sex" on it, but it doesn't go into
graphic detail--just says the Daddy puts his sperm into the Mommy. It has
some activities for kids to help understand the whole thing, and each
couple of pages has a question on it, like "Can the baby see and hear
me?"  "Why does mommy go to the doctor so much?"

  -"Before you were Born:  The Inside Story" by Ann Douglas (c. 2000)
explains all the simple stuff with no sex ed in it.  My copy is a very thin
paperback book--looks more like a magazine.

  -"Everybody has a Bellybutton Your Life Before You Were Born" by Laurence
Pringle (c. 1997) is a little older, but doesn't talk at all about sex.

  "Hello Benny!  What it's like to be a baby" by Robie H. Harris (c. 2002)
would be a good one for them for after the baby is born.  It explains the
basics of "baby life" to kids