Recommendations for books for toddlers about having a new sibling

[Jo'sEnglish]

I'm expecting a baby the end of April when my little boy will be 2 years and 8 months. I thought it would be nice to get him a couple of books about what to expect for Christmas, does anybody have any they would recommend?

Also, for those with a similar age gap, when did you start to talk to your toddler about having a new baby brother or sister?

Thanks!

[Beagle]

2 year 9 month gap. We read a couple, best was The Baby(but I would have liked a hamster) by India Knight. Libraries a very good source.

I told my daughter when I was 5 months and had a big old bump already that she was oblivious to. She would holler down my top "hello brother/sister" as we didn't know what we were having.

I involved her a Lot towards the end prepping the clothes, crib etc which she enjoyed.

Congratulations.

[Bluedark]

Congratulations! We will have 2.5 years age gap when the baby arrives in the next few weeks. We read there is a house inside my mummy. It was good, I don't think it would have worked if my daughter was younger. We started talking about her little sister in the last couple of months, not earlier. To be fair we were not even going to start then but she started showing interest in the bump so we talked about baby growing inside, she will come out when she is ready etc. and this book tallies up with that.

[Bonfire2010]

We'll have a similar age gap when my baby is born in a few weeks and my son will be 3. We've found 'I'm a new big brother' from the Pirate Pete books has gone down well, but this might be because my son is obsessed with pirates, and Pirate Pete gets a baby brother (I am having a boy)!

We started talking to him about it quite early on. We didn't sit him down for anything formal, but just worked it into everyday conversation. It helped that a couple of his nursery friends are starting to have siblings so we used them as a reference point.

[acb2013]

Congratulations. 2yr 7 month gap here. Second "there's a house inside my mummy" (just changed the words when reading it as we knew it was a little sister coming) and also liked "My New Baby" by Rachel Fuller which is based around lots of questions('Why is baby crying? Baby's in the bath, can I help?) that prompt a bit of chatting about what the new arrival will be like. Also started talking about the baby at around 5 months, very casually, but emphasising how special my elder daughter would be to be a big sister. Good luck!

[JessM]

We had an usborne one called something like "the new baby". Also, "ZaZa's baby Brother" by the Maisie author and a really great one from the Little Princess series by Tony Ross. It was also useful to discuss the fact that the baby might cry and that's just her way of talking.

Good luck! IMO it's nowhere near as hard the second (and subsequent) time around, you know what you're doing and it's much less isolating (dare I say boring?!) cos you just have to get out with the older one.

[theratprincess]

2 year 7 month age gap here. My son was pretty uninterested in most of the books above, I think because there isn't much of story to follow. He did like Za Za - although Za Za felt a bit negative to me.

One nice book which is good for exploring the idea of a sibling more generally is Annie Rose is my Little Sister by Shirley Hughes http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0099408562. As with all her books, the illustrations are amazing. Also, the last section where it talks about how they will be brother and sister forever is really moving.

[jonbateson]

We had a lovely board book called waiting for baby, really. Ice pics to talk about and then the follow on book new baby or my new baby, I think they were by child's play I have already loaned them out...

[JulieP]

Our little girl was only 16 months when my son was born. We read "Up to the skies" around that time. She loved it as although it describes babies and what they do, it was about her and emphasised how much we love her.

[Jo'sEnglish]

Thanks so much everyone - I'm off to look up books!

[crystal7]

I have the same age gap. My daughter really liked "There's a House Inside my Mummy" and "There's going to be a Baby", can't remember who write it but beautifully illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, have to admit I shed a tear at the ending every time I read it!

[esme]

Just got there's a house inside my mummy, quite a few on Amazon :)

[crystal7]

Loved There's Going to be a Baby by Helen Oxenbury. Be warned though, it's a tear jerker!

[sillywoman]

"Ellen and Penguin and the New Baby Brother" Brilliant book, Can't remember who wrote it though.