Review of Henry Helps With the Baby

Beth Bracken's book about Henry and his new baby sister Penny is really cute. At first, he isn't sure what to make of this noisy little creature. His mother tells him that she needs lots of help because she is so little. So, Henry quickly finds ways to help his parents with the baby, such as bringing the burp cloth after a feeding and finding her hat before a walk. He really is sweet with her as he sings her lullabies and kisses her when she cries. He really is a good big brother.

This story is really cute and relatable to young children who have a new baby in the house. After reading it, you can ask the child to explain how he helps with his baby at home. Chances are he will already be telling you as you read through the book.

The illustrations are also adorable. You can see Henry's frustration quickly change to pride as he learns how to help care for his baby. The baby's face shines with admiration as she looks up to her older brother. Parents are often found beaming in the background as their big boy helps out.

I love that on the back of the book are pointers for parents about raising toddlers and young children. Parents need all of the advice that they can get. The information is concise, relates to the story, and is based on current research by the University of Minnesota.

Children and parents will both enjoy sharing this book with each other.


I received a complimentary preview set of galleys from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.