There are times when having a younger sibling is quite simply, a pain. Often little brothers and sisters have a limited understanding of what personal space is. They cannot fathom why their big brother or sister doesn't want them around all the time. Then there are those times when a little brother or sister does something that is kind and cute, and somehow, at that moment, the annoying times seem smaller and less important.
Today's poetry title explores the relationship between two sisters and we see, to great effect, the emotional ups and downs that they experience from day to day.
Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems
Kristine O’Connell George
Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 6 to 8
Clarion, 2011, 978-0618428427
Sometimes having a little sister is a frustrating because
your little sister seems to take over your life. People expect so much of you
as well, as if what you want doesn’t matter at all. Jessica is rather tired of
people saying “I’ll bet you’re / a very good big sister,” which means that they
hope she is a good big sister to
Emma. Why doesn’t anyone ask Emma if she is being a good little sister. No one ever does and it really isn’t fair.
The truth is
that sometimes Emma is a really bad little sister. There was the time when she
made a scene at Jessica’s soccer game and embarrassed Jessica so much that she
pretended that she had no idea who Emma was. On the first day of school in
fourth grade Jessica is late because Emma put rocks in one of Jessica’s shoes. When
she gets home from school Jessica finds out that Emma has created a “Big spidey
web” in Jessica’s room using yarn.
Of course there
are those special times that only they share, and though she might not come out
and say so, Jessica does value those moments that she has with her little
sister. When Jessica reads her old picture books to Emma she feels as if she is
“visiting / old friends.” Jessica knows that Emma loves her in part because
Jessica is the only person who can remember the names of all of Emma’s rocks.
When Jessica is feeling bad because she did poorly in a spelling test, Emma
snuggles up to her and pats her big sister’s arm. She even gives Jessica one of
her favorite stuffed animals to hold for a whole hour.
So, there are
pluses and minuses to being a big sister. Sometimes though, the minuses
outweigh the pluses, and sometimes this means that things go horribly wrong.
Using a series
of wonderfully expressive poems, the author of this book captures the up and
down nature of a relationship between two sisters. There are times full of
friction and discontent, happy times, funny times, loving times, and really
really bad times. Readers will find it easy to relate to Jessica, and they will
understand how having a little sister can be both exasperating and enriching.
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