cover image Kiki's New Sister

Kiki's New Sister

Jennifer Barrett, Jennifer Plecas. Bantam Books for Young Readers, $13.5 (1pp) ISBN 978-0-553-07567-0

``I like her,'' proclaims Kiki, a comically bug-eyed little dinosaur, shortly after her baby sister comes home from the hospital. But as the infant becomes more wakeful and screams day and night, Kiki has second thoughts about this addition to the family. Early one morning, perched on the colorful quilt covering her sleeping parents, Kiki announces--with endearing candor--that she wants to know ``if we are keeping this baby forever. Maybe we should bring her back to the hospital.'' Kiki's understanding father and mother tell her they can all decide what to do--after she gets to know her sister a bit better. Though the ending here is somewhat predictable, it just may help youngsters look more forgivingly at their new siblings. Featuring toy-cluttered floors and ever-changing expressions on the faces of this congenial dino family, the pictures in Barrett's first children's book are a breath of fresh air. Ages 4-8. (Mar.)