A young girl is adjusting to life with her new baby brother. "[T]he good ol' days are over," sings the repeated refrain, "It's official, it's the news! / With my brand-new baby brother / came the brand-new baby blues!" Appelt's catchy, child-friendly text and Murphy's energetic, engaging pictures illustrate her woes, from the golden memories of her days as the only one to her mother's newfound busyness, her father's goofy attempts at entertaining the baby and the unfortunate fragrance of stinky diapers. Funny and concise, the rollicking rhyme bounces along, accepting the frustration natural to the situation, while gently allowing the girl's love of and appreciation for her brother, as well as her anticipation of a future playmate, to gradually shine through. The process is complemented by the illustrations, which modulate in palette from angry blues and greens to sunny yellows, while serene compositions replace off-kilter ones. Older brothers and sisters will easily identify with this jaunty heroine and profit from her realizationsan excellent choice for a new older sibling. (Picture book. 3-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

If Lisa Simpson can sing the blues, why can't a highly reluctant sibling of a new baby brother? Appelt (the Bubba and Beau series) has hold of a great idea here, and her "lyrics" have the requisite driving rhythm. Readers can almost hear a wailing harmonica testifying to the girl's pain: "Now he's wearing my old jammies,/ he sleeps in my old bed,/ he's got my favorite baby bear/ beside his baby head." But Murphy's (Hush, Little Dragon) illustrations, in gentle textural pastel tones, don't seem to be in on the same joke. While her skills as a colorist and draftsman are never in doubt, her depiction of the heroine and her domestic travails feels innocuous compared with comically down-and-out gestalt of the text. Even when the girl's angst is at its peak ("It makes me sad, it makes me mad,/ it makes me want to roar!"), the accompanying image feels overly literal, and the scene's hospital green palette does nothing to drive home the emotions at play. Appelt is channeling Howlin' Wolf, but Murphy seems content with a whimper. Ages 3-6. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Eldest siblings of the world can unite behind the older sister in this picture book, who expresses her frustrations at the arrival of a new baby in rhyme: Everything is changed. / I'm not the one and only. / My whole life's rearranged. The young speaker is frustrated that her new brother excels at only a few things: purloining previously spoken-for teddy bears and parental attentions, sleeping, eating, and filling his diaper. Fortunately, as the pages turn, the girl changes her tune and admits that the little guy is awfully cute and may just be of some use, once he's a brother, not a baby! Appelt sums up feelings authentically in this quick, sympathetic read, and as the blues transform into a hymn, they're accompanied by attractive, if not particularly noteworthy, illustrations. This title doesn't break new ground, but kids may find that this offers a reassurance of love and hope for better times to come, just when they need it most.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2009 Booklist

PreS-K-Through rhyme and three repeating stanzas, a child laments about the good ol' days and realizes, "Now everything is different,/everything is changed./I'm not the one and only./My whole life's rearranged." The normal emotions of sadness, disappointment, jealousy, and anger follow when her parents shower her new brother with attention, pass her stuffed bear down to him, and share the hugs that were once all hers. Then, with just the right words from Mom and Dad about her uniqueness, and some positive observations, her attitude changes. She looks forward to the days when her new sibling will not be a baby anymore, but instead be a brother she can play catch with and a game of hide-and-seek. Oil, acrylic, and gel are used to create gentle hues. What makes this telling of the new brother/sister theme stand out is how well the verses are in sync with the illustrations, layout, and the characters' facial expressions. Great for sharing with a group or one-on-one.-Anne Beier, Hendrick Hudson Free Library, Montrose, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A new big sister sings the blues: "Once everything was peachy, / once everything was fine. / Now my brand-new baby brother / takes up all my mama's time." Appelt's rhymes are, occasionally, a reach, but older siblings will easily relate to the pensive narrator. Murphy's illustrations feature mood ringlike backdrops that change to sunnier hues as the girl warms up to her new sibling. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.