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Julius, Baby of the World (by Kevin Henkes)

common sense media says

Kids with siblings will enjoy Lilly's escapades.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that if they aren't ready to talk with kids about how babies grow inside the womb, they might want to wait on this one. But the story and writing hit just the right note.

Violence & scariness: Not applicable.
Language: Not applicable.

More on Julius, Baby of the World

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about siblings. Why is Lilly so unkind to Julius? How do her parents feel? By the end of the book, do you think she dislikes Julius, or does he love him too? Do you think they will always get along well?

What's the story?

What's the story?
What her parents consider "the baby of the world" is an irritation to spirited little mouse Lilly in this funny, sympathetic tale. Children will giggle at Lilly's creative attempts to deal with Julius, and they'll enjoy the humorous art. Expressions on the characters' faces skillfully convey Lilly and her parents' feelings.

 

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 

Children will feel reassured by the parents' constant love for both Lilly and Julius and reassured that they are not the only ones who have felt jealous toward a sibling. Lilly is always recognizable in her red cowboy boots with a big white star on each side and a gold paper crown signifying that she is the queen. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations capture Lilly's exasperation and frustration, and the parents' gentle love.

Illustrations are enclosed in a frame surrounded by the white paper, and floating dialogue boxes in some illustrations extend the story. On one page, Lilly's parents lean over Julius' crib and recite the numbers and the alphabet in a dialogue box within the illustration. The second illustration on the page shows Lilly, alone with Julius, reciting, "3, 8, 1, 5, 9, 6 ..." and "A, J, K, Z, B, S, C, H ...," actions sure to bring a giggle from the readers.

Book themes & details

Book Details
Author: Kevin Henkes
Illustrator: Kevin Henkes
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication date: January 1, 1990
Number of pages: 28
Paperback price: $5.99

This review was written by Sally Snyder
 
 

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katylala38
kid, 8 years old
 
love the book julius
i love the part when lily and Julius were pretending they were twins

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About our rating system
ON: Content is appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child, some content may not be right for some kids
OFF: Not age appropriate for kids this age