Parents' Guide to

Julius, Baby of the World

By Sally Snyder, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 4+

Kids with siblings will enjoy Lilly's escapades.

Book Kevin Henkes Family Life 1990
Julius, Baby of the World Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

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?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (1):

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.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • 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?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate