Julius, the Baby of the World (1990)

The main point of this story is to reassure an older child who feels threatened by a new sibling.
- In the story, the older sister's "ugly feelings" are gently caricatured--in a way that will make the reader uneasy with his/her own version of the same foibles.
The problem faced by Lilly, the heroine, is the appearance of a little brother, Julius, whom she perceives as hogging her parents' attention and goodwill.
The resolution stems from a cousin's negative remarks about Julius. Although Lilly herself has said the exact same things until a moment earlier (and far more derogatory ones as well), her loyalty towards her own flesh and blood immediately kicks in. In the end, Lilly basks in her newfound appreciation of Julius' talents.
The child appeal of this story is due to the no-holds-barred nastyness on Lilly's part--she's not sweetened up.
The parent/teacher appeal of this story is in the teaching of a moral lesson without the slightest suggestion of preaching.

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Shouldn't we be told just what changed Lilly's attitude pre- and post-partum? As an older-sister-to-be, she seems to delight in her brother. Are we to assume that sibling rivalry just inexorably happens?
The positive interpretation of this story--and hopefully the first to come to the young reader's mind--is that it teaches how the absurdity of petty dislikes is most apparent when seen reflected in others.
Disturbing alternative spin: our identity is defined by our opposition to others. The nuclear family as citadel under siege. To succeed, cultivate an us-against-them mentality.
The parents are steadfast in displaying their affection for both children. They will not deny their love for little Julius to accommodate Lilly. Thus, once Lilly is won over, the crisis is immediately resolved--there are no lingering resentments for uneven treatment.
Gentle jab at overeager parents driving their offspring to excel? (page 11, singing letters and numbers.)
Frank depiction of pregnancy (Lilly's own diagram of the baby in the womb, page 1.) Could this book incur the wrath of school/library board censors?

Themes: sibling rivalry and jealousy.
Moral: when nothing works, try reverse psychology.
Empowerment: the drawing Lilly makes redefines her family to her liking.
Common problem for children: understanding different standards of behavior for different ages.
Pictures stand on their own. Pre-literate children can work through the book on their own, making up their own version of the story.
Sophisticated humor--possibly going over children's heads--is still valuable as it encourages adults' involvement.
Parental dilemma: encouraging self-assurance without raising a jerk.

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Copyright 2000 by Sandro Corsi. Last modified 2000-06-26.