[ad_1]
Help your toddler to learn about her new role with these page-turning children’s books!
Your little girl is about to become a big sister. And, you’re not sure how to intro the new family addition. Never fear – books are here! While one book may not fully prep your kiddo for her new role, the top titles that focus on siblings, babies, and becoming a big sister can help to smooth the transition.
Before you invest in your own mini library of big sister books, take a moment to think about what you need in this new soon-to-be storytime favorite. Yes, your toddler is technically the eldest sibling. But their new status doesn’t mean they’re suddenly ready to read chapter books or that they have the attention to sit through pages and pages of complex storylines.
12 Best ‘Big Brother’ Books To Read With Your Toddler
Prepare your toddler for a new sibling in the home with the best big brother books for toddlers.
This means you’ll need to choose books that are made for toddlers. Bright or bold pictures, plenty of patterns, simple phrasing, and vocab words that young kiddos can handle are the hallmarks of early kid lit.
Along with what you would generally look for in an age/developmentally appropriate book for a toddler, you also want something that focuses on the big sister, big sibling, or new baby theme. Don’t stress if it feels like you’re searching for a needle in the haystack of children’s picture books. We’ve got you covered!
Here are the best books for toddlers about becoming a big sister:
Noelle The Best Big Sister
Written by Mikaela Wilson and illustrated by Pardeep Mehra, Noelle The Best Big Sister sets the stage for your new addition with a story of a big sister (Noelle) and her new baby sibling. This picture book can help the soon-to-be older sister learn about and understand emotions tied to this major transition, discover ways to get involved in the baby’s life, and feel more confidence in their new role. The 39-page book is filled with bold illustrations that will grab your toddler’s attention.
- Age Range
- 2+ years
- Print length
- 39 pages
I Am A Big Sister
Author and illustrator Caroline Jayne Church brings the only child-to-big sibling transition to life in I Am A Big Sister. This toddler-friendly title shows the young child how they can help their new younger sibling and what it means to have a new baby in the family. The easy-to-understand text and colorful illustrations will hold your little one’s attention and help her to learn more about her new role.
- Age Range
- 1+ years
- Print length
- 24 pages
Little Miss, Big Sis
$8 $9 Save $1
The Little Miss, Big Sis board book is the perfect pick for the growing toddler. Not only does it tell the story of a young child becoming a big sister, the board book design is an ideal design for a two or three-year-old. Along with listening to the story and looking at the illustrations, your kiddo can grip, grasp, and page through this sturdy book. Written by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, this board book is 40 pages long.
- Age Range
- 2+ years
- Print length
- 40 pages
Hello In There! A Big Sister’s Book of Waiting
$17 $19 Save $2
With a lift-the-flap design, Jo Witek and Christine Roussey’s Hello In There! A Big Sister’s Book of Waiting is an interactive pick that will hold your toddler’s attention. This tale of a soon-to-be new sister can help your own little one to better understand what she is waiting for too! The hardcover book features adorable illustrations and text that is easy for children two and up to follow.
- Age Range
- 2+ years
- Print length
- 28 pages
What Sisters Do Best
Your child can learn about what she can do in her new role as you read Laura Numeroff and Lynn Munsinger’s What Sisters Do Best. The 20-page book features a sweet story that focuses on the ways big sisters help their little siblings. The adorable animal illustrations will get your toddler’s attention and the simple phrasing will help them to understand what it means to have a younger brother or sister.
- Age Range
- 1+ years
- Print length
- 20 pages
-
The New Baby
Beloved author Mercer Mayer’s classic Little Critter is the star of the sibling-centered The New Baby. Even though the main character isn’t exactly a big sis, this top kid lit pick is a must-read for toddlers who are about to meet their own new baby. Originally published in 1980, the decades-old book is still just as relevant as it was when you were a tot too!
- Age Range
- 2+ years
- Print length
- 24 pages
Big Sisters Are the Best
$7 $10 Save $3
Big Sisters Are the Best – the name says it all. If your little one is worried about becoming a big sister or is nervous about a new baby taking their place, this book can ease their fears. Written by Fram Manushkin and illustrated by Kirtsen Richards, this story starts with the big sister’s perspective.
- Age Range
- 2+ years
- Print length
- 24 pages
-
My New Baby
$2 $5 Save $3
If your toddler has questions about their soon-to-be new baby, My New Baby has answers. Written and illustrated by Rachel Fuller, this picture book engages young children in a simple story that focuses on what new babies do and need. My New Baby is part of a four-book series by the same author, including Waiting for Baby, You and Me, and Look At Me!
- Age Range
- 1+ years
- Print length
- 12 pages
Little Big Girl
Claire Keane’s Little Big Girl hardcover edition is a popular pick that tells the story of Matisse and her adventures. Even though the illustrations may look like what you’ve seen in older classic children’s tales, this book was originally published in 2016. Author/illustrator Keane’s artwork has a retro feel that you might enjoy just as much as your child will.
- Age Range
- 3+ years
- Print length
- 32 pages
How To Be A Baby…By Me, the Big Sister
How To Be A Baby…By Me, the Big Sister – which is actually by author Sally Lloyd-Jones and illustrator Sue Heap – is a smart, humor-filled book for soon-to-be big siblings. This book has all the answers your kiddo is searching for, but in a way that will make you laugh out loud too. Enjoy this top kid lit pick along with Lloyd-Jones’ other titles, such as His Royal Highness, King Baby.
- Age Range
- 3+ years
- Print length
- 40 pages
Julius, the Baby of the World
$8 $9 Save $1
Julius, the Baby of the World by author/illustrator Kevin Henkes tells the story of the perfect baby – Julius. While everyone else thinks he’s the “baby of the world,” big sis Lilly has other ideas. This children’s book focuses on sibling rivalry and some of the more challenging parts of living with a new baby in a humorous and relatable way. The 32-page book is recommended for children two and up.
- Age Range
- 2+ years
- Print length
- 32 pages
-
You’re the Biggest: Keepsake Gift Book
$11 $12 Save $1
Lucy Tapper’s You’re the Biggest: Keepsake Gift Book is more than just pictures and words. This sweet story has eye-catching illustrations that will draw your toddler in. With space in the front for a handwritten message, this book will help the new big sister to learn more about her role as the older child in the family and provides a cute keepsake that she can cherish in the future.
- Age Range
- 2+ years
- Print length
- 32 pages
When should you start prepping your toddler for a new baby?
There isn’t one magical time when all toddlers are ready to learn about their new soon-to-be sib. But this doesn’t mean you should wait until delivery day to introduce the idea. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), one to two-year-olds typically don’t have the developmental ability to understand what this major change means.
12 Best “Big Sister” Gift Ideas To Get Her Excited For Her New Role
From toys to clothes, big sister gifts help toddlers feel special becoming older siblings. Here are the best big sister gift ideas to get her excited.
While you can start reading books or excitedly talking up the new family member at any point in your pregnancy, the younger toddler might not fully grasp the idea of a little brother or sister until the baby is here – and in front of them.
The AAP notes that older toddlers (ages two and up) may feel threatened by or unsure of how to share you with a new sibling. Instead of jumping into a constant loop of baby talk ASAP, you can wait until your kiddo notices your growing belly bump or you start preparing the house/nursery to start a big sis/little sib conversation.
[ad_2]