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Lauren Child
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The New Small Person Paperback – Picture Book, September 11, 2018

by Lauren Child (Author, Illustrator)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 276 ratings
Editors' pick Best Books Ages 3-5
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Lauren Child tells the familiar tale of a less-than-welcome sibling with subtlety, insight, affection, and humor.

Elmore Green starts life as an only child, as many children do. He has a room to himself, where he can line up his precious things and nobody will move them one inch. But one day everything changes. When the new small person comes along, it seems that everybody might like it a bit morethan they like Elmore Green. And when the small person knocks over Elmore’s things and even licks his jelly-bean collection, Elmore’s parents say that he can’t be angry because the small person is only small. Elmore wants the small person to go back to wherever it came from. Then, one night, everything changes. . . . In her signature visual style, Lauren Child gets to the heart of a child’s evolving emotions about becoming a big brother or sister.
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Previous page
  1. Reading age
    4 - 8 years
  2. Print length
    32 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    Preschool - 3
  5. Dimensions
    9.88 x 0.17 x 10.81 inches
  6. Publisher
    Candlewick
  7. Publication date
    September 11, 2018
  8. ISBN-10
    0763699748
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0763699741
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Child has a knack for homing in on the important truths of kid experiences in entertaining ways, demonstrated here in the dynamics between Elmore and Albert and in the precise and pithy phrasing of Elmore’s observations. Elmore’s experiences will certainly resonate with older siblings, while younger ones may gain a bit of insight into their older sibs’ perspective.... Pair this Jenkins’ That New Animal (BCCB 3/05) for a look at the ways in which younger siblings change everything.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

A familiar theme—a big brother feels displaced by a new baby—seems fresh in Child's latest. ... It's a pleasing twist on typical stories about sibling rivalry, in that the little brother's actions change the dynamic rather than vice versa. Shared activities and playthings strengthen their bond, resulting in a happy ending for Elmore and Albert, whose name is finally revealed upon his big brother's change of heart. How nice to see a familiar story made new with a family of color and a little brother as hero.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Fresh and amusing.... With expressive illustrations and a story that speaks directly to children, this picture book is beautifully crafted for reading aloud.
—Booklist (starred review)

Child is as funny and astute as ever, and it's refreshing to see a black family depicted in her stylish mixed-media art.
—The New York Times

What firstborn doesn’t revel in being thought of by his parents as “simply the funniest, cleverest, most ADORABLE person they had ever seen”? ... Child is no stranger to fraught sibling dynamics, and her trademark mixed-media collages—textured, fragmented, always with a kid’s-eye view—sympathetically reflect the experiences of a no-longer-only child.
—The Horn Book

The selling point is the way Child frames Elmore’s growing love for his brother as the active, incremental discovery of the joy of companionship (“It was nice to have someone there in the dark when the scaries were around”), rather than treacly submission to the inevitable.
—Publishers Weekly

The childlike perspective and simple illustrations will make this story a favorite for any kid who has ever been faced with a new sibling or has ha d to learn to share. Preschoolers will enjoy hearing this story, while independent readers will love the big print and colorful, cartoon illustrations.
—School Library Journal

The common frustration of having a perfectly nice childhood ruined by an interloper—in the form of a baby brother or sister—gets a stylish reinterpretation at the hands of writer and illustrator Lauren Child in “The New Small Person." ... Here, in an atmosphere of humor and tenderness, we naturally sympathize with Elmore Green.
—The Wall Street Journal

The New Small Person is a delightful tale of new sibling arrival and acceptance, another wonderful offering from the masterful Child.
—BookPage

The playful illustrations, clever text design and placement, and carefully paced plot all help to convey Albert’s experience of embracing the expansion of his family.
—Literacy Daily

A fine story of sibling interactions and the move from only child to sibling invites young picture book readers to understand the presence of a younger child in the family.
—Children's Bookwatch

About the Author

Lauren Child has published many best-selling and award-winning books, including the hugely popular Charlie and Lola and Clarice Bean series and a spin-off series of novels about Ruby Redfort. She has won numerous awards, including the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal. Lauren Child lives in London.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Candlewick; Reprint edition (September 11, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 32 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0763699748
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0763699741
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 4 - 8 years
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ Preschool - 3
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.88 x 0.17 x 10.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 276 ratings

About the author

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Lauren Child

Lauren Child

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Lauren Child MBE is a multi-award-winning author and illustrator whose books are timeless classics, known and loved the world over. She is the creator of many much-loved characters, including Clarice Bean, Ruby Redfort, and Charlie and Lola. Her first Charlie and Lola book, I Will Not Ever Never Eat a Tomato was listed in the top 10 Kate Greenaway Medal winners of all time.

The themes running through her work have resonance for adults as well as children and her work illustrating children’s classics: Pippi Longstocking and Mary Poppins is critically-acclaimed.

Since she was first published in 1999, Lauren has sold over six million books in 19 languages worldwide. She is a UNESCO Artist for Peace and a Trustee of the House of Illustration, and has an MBE for services to literature. She was the Waterstones Children's Laureate from 2017-2019. During that time she focused on raising the profile of illustration as a sophisticated art form for all ages.

She’s been at the forefront of innovation for 20 years and has collaborated with high-profile artists across different fields.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
276 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

J20
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2015
Verified Purchase
I LOVE this book. Others have summed up the plot well, and I love that it addresses sibling struggles past the baby stage. We have lots of new big brother books, and while I also like them, none validate the (legitimate) frustration about a younger sibling that an older sibling may experience for quite some time. My almost 4 year old is still not thrilled with his 1 year old brother and has expressed many of the sentiments illustrated in this book about his own small person. I love that this story validates his feelings, while providing hope and a positive spin at the end! On top of the empathy appeal of the book, it is also wonderful writing and has adorable illustrations.
2 people found this helpful
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Chloe
5.0 out of 5 stars A new nightly read
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024
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I bought this for my 5 year old autistic son as I’m currently pregnant with my second child and trying to prepare him. This book has become one of his favorites and we read it multiple times a day as well as at night. The illustrations are really great too. Highly recommend.
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Jonathan Reddick
5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite children’s books!
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2019
Verified Purchase
I found this book at my local library a few years ago. It’s an adorable read about a kid who feels replaced by his new baby brother.
This is the book you need if you’re having child #2 or if you just want an enjoyable story for your kids. Or yourself.
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The Goree Truth
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book for a new older sibling.
Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2019
Verified Purchase
We love this book. It's not your conventional older sibling book. It introduces the concept of a new baby in a light hearted and sweet way. This is one of the first books I give to families with new babies on the way.
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Genevieve Chan
5.0 out of 5 stars Our oldest named his brother "Albert" after this book.
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2016
Verified Purchase
This book holds a special place in our family's library as it served as the inspiration for our firstborn son's choice of name for his baby brother. We got this book to prepare our first son for the arrival of our second. When we would ask Ted what his baby brother's name will be, he said, matter of factly, "Albert" and so he was named. We took it as a sign that not only did the book resonate with him but that hopefully he saw something in Albert the character that he hopes he will see in Albert his little brother. The illustrations are lovely but really it's the tone that is just right. We love the priorities of the older boy and the gentle personality of the younger one who eventually wins his older sibling over. We hope fiction continues to inspire reality.
7 people found this helpful
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Alice H.
5.0 out of 5 stars This book does an amazing job of teaching older siblings how to be patient ...
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2015
Verified Purchase
This book does an amazing job of teaching older siblings how to be patient with their younger siblings. My 2 1/2 year old daughter loves to read it. When my younger daughter chews on her sister's things, I reminder her about the book and it does seem to help her be more patient. This illustration is really cute and the sentences are whimsically placed making this book so fun to read.
3 people found this helpful
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ebeitz
4.0 out of 5 stars Very good. I love it
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2016
Verified Purchase
Very good. I love it. But it's a little long to hold my almost-2 yo's interest. Hopefully it will grow on him, but he's pretty into books that are a little shorter and rhyme right now. (My issue, I know.)
My husband and I love it, and will keep trying!!
One person found this helpful
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Quiana Jones
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
This is one of our favorites books. I gifted this to a friend on this purchase and they loved it as well too.
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Top reviews from other countries

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audibert
5.0 out of 5 stars Good book when a new baby is arriving
Reviewed in Canada on October 31, 2022
Verified Purchase
Good book to find reason to accept a new baby who takes all the time of parents!
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Carey Leverhouse
5.0 out of 5 stars a good buy
Reviewed in France on December 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
It's a Christmas present for my three year old grandson. I am quite sure it will be well received.
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Paul
5.0 out of 5 stars Great for adopters too!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 10, 2018
Verified Purchase
We bought this to help our adopted son prepare for the arrival of a new adopted sibling. Many books about new siblings begin with showing baby in mummy’s tummy, which is just not appropriate for adoptive families. Here, the narrative doesn’t linger on the ‘birth’ and ‘returning from hospital’ or any of that side of things. The new sibling arrives in a moses basket and by the next page he is a toddler, so works well for adopters even if they’re not adopting a young baby. We also liked the fact that the parents are very much in the background of the story - you only see their arms or legs, never their heads - which means it works well for same-sex couples too. The focus is very much on the children’s relationship and how the older sibling grows to enjoy having a younger brother. Beautifully done!
19 people found this helpful
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Angela
5.0 out of 5 stars Schönes Buch
Reviewed in Germany on May 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
Das Buch geht auf gute Art und Weise auf die Gefühle eines Kindes ein, dass plötzlich ein kleines Geschwisterchen bekommt.
Es hilft dem Kind zu verstehen, dass es schön ist ein kleines Geschwisterchen zu haben.
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Onlineshopper
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 28, 2021
Verified Purchase
This book is excellent to use for your own birth children or for your adopted children to prepare them for an oncoming sibling.
They don't mention a gender of the new child until the last page so it's good to use for either gender and the last page can be skipped if you are going to have a girl.
2 people found this helpful
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