The New Small Person – by Lauren Child

What ever age your child is the news that they are to have a new younger brother or sister can be a challenege for them, many are excited with the news but less so with the reality of it all happening. Lauren Child the author behind the Charlie and Lola Series tackles this issue in her new book The New Small Person.

Elmore Green is a small boy – an only child at first who has everything he wants for himself, and has everyone’s attention and then suddenly his world is turned upside down by The New Small Person who arrives all of sudden. Where he could watch what he wated on TV, eat jelly beans of every colour and play where and how he wanted the small person didn’t want to watch what he wanted, wanted to eat all of the jelly beans including his favourites and play with Elmore’s toys how and where he wanted to play. Of course we all now that eventually a happy medium is reached between siblings and Elmore and the new small person live in sibling harmony.

With the classic Lauren Child styled illustrations and crazy typing that add to the reading of the book – who can help raising their voice when the type gets bigger on the page this is a must if like Elmore’s household you are soon to have a new small person join the family or have a new small person just joined you.

Check out our top tips for encouraging your kids to stop fighting and want to play with their siblings.

With preschoolers and older children who enjoy the style of Lauren Child it would be a perfect present from the new baby to their big brother or sister and read regularly over those first few years where train tracks are destroyed regularly, food is stolen and even favourite t-shirts are handed down and worn by the younger sibling it is a good way to show that this will not always be the case and things will improve and they will have a friend for life.