Nobody Asked Me If I Wanted a Baby Sister by Martha Alexander

Nobody Asked Me If I Wanted a Baby Sister by Martha Alexander

Rating: 2 stars

I hid this book mostly because of the title.  Here in our house, Lorelei and Ben don't get a whole lot of opportunities to voice their opinions on matters that don't involve their toys and lunches and activities.  And even on those matters they don't always get a choice.  I'm into free will and all, but I think it is highly overrated for children, let alone toddlers. 

In this book of few words, the big brother gets tired of her new baby sister.  He gets a stool, gets her out of her crib, puts her in his wagon, then carts her down the street, trying to to give her away.  You read that right.  The little boy finally founds an older boy who, when asked if he knows of someone who might want a baby, replies: "Sure, my mom.  She loves babies."  So the little baby is taken to this random mom, who tries to make her happy when she starts fussing.  But it turns out that the little baby just wants her older brother, despite the fact that he just tried to cart her off to anyone who might want her.  He grudgingly accepts the compliment, only when he envisions his baby sister pulling him in the wagon one day.

I'm not a fan.  I sure don't want Lorelei to get any ideas of a) leaving the house without me, b) leaving the house with Ben in town, and c) thinking that it's funny or cool or smart to try and give away a family member.  It seems to me that this book perpetuates the sad myth of big siblings hating and resenting their younger siblings.  That's a myth that, personally, I'd like to stop.  Maybe that's just because I am a younger sibling!  I guess there's a chance that parents of older kids might find it amusing (the publisher says this book is appropriate for kids from 4 to 8), but...this book will not be part of my family's library.  Ever.