Monkey: Not Ready for the Baby

Monkey’s family is growing in this follow-up to 2015’s Monkey: Not Ready for Kindergarten, and while Monkey may have gotten used to school, he’s unexcited about becoming a big brother: “I like being a little brother,” he moans after getting the news. Brown realistically conveys Monkey’s journey from a place of skepticism to one of acceptance and love as the family prepares for the baby’s arrival, including pulling out old baby photos, visiting the doctor, and tackling the often-perplexing challenge of crib assembly. As in the previous book, Brown’s hand-drawn text and scribble-covered mixed-media illustrations combine to create a story that feels intimately connected to the experiences and perspectives of its young audience. Ages 3–7. (Sept.)