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The Baby Sister

 Friends wrote with book suggestions: Tomie dePaola's "The Baby Sister," along with "Mail Harry to the Moon" and "That New Animal." The latter two are in COVID "processing limbo," at my library, so I expect I'll have them soon.

One friend mailed a few editions of the Frances books; at a certain point, Frances gets a baby sister, Gloria. "Baby Sister for Frances" handles family tension in a sweet way: Frances seems to like Gloria, and Frances isn't particularly outraged at the new family-shape. She just calmly decides to "run away from home," makes this announcement, then plants herself under the dining-room table. Her parents continue to chat with her while she is "in exile," and eventually she climbs back out and eats a piece of cake.

Tomie dePaola's memory of acquiring a baby sister is also sweet (though there is some relatable drama, as well). When Mom goes off to have the baby, "Tommy" is made to understand he will spend time with his beloved Aunt Nell. But family chaos leads to a change in plans and, as is so often the case, someone forgets to provide the kid with an important update. Grandma will take Aunt Nell's place; intimidating Nana Fall-River will be Tommy's guardian.

Here, I'm transported back to my own childhood. Nana isn't mean; she is just old-school. She doesn't think kids should talk about the human body or about pregnancy. She won't let Tommy have his dog in the house. She gives Tommy weird food, then compares him unfavorably to his brother. ("At least your brother finishes supper.")

Tommy responds with the behaviors available to a distressed child: He stops eating, and he stops doing his homework.

All ends happily--but the way dePaola describes a misunderstanding between an old person and a child, and the level of sensitivity....This is impressive. The book is a standout, and a worthy companion to "The Art Lesson."

Josh seems to half-listen to all of this. I tell him: "You do not have a mommy. You have two daddies. You have a belly buddy. Your little sister will need your help." (According to a gay acquaintance, the discovery that other children have mommies--sometime around Kindergarten--can be a little earthquake for the gay family.)

And for me? I've requested "From One Child to Two," from the library. Readers complain that this is a bit hyperbolic in the way it describes life with two tiny "sitters." That's fine. I'm sure I'll take something useful away from the various sidebars and cheery bullet-point lists.

More to come.
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