The Bossier Baby
By Jan Carr,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Bossy new sibling arrives in howlingly funny sequel.
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Based on 1 parent review
My child is no longer the boss baby
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What's the Story?
In THE BOSSIER BABY, a new baby sister arrives in the house, and her parents are delighted and attentive. Wielding an Etch A Sketch, she demotes her older brother and promotes herself to CEO -- "The CEO was bossier than the Boss Baby had ever been" -- and gets a lot of perks, including aromatherapy (diaper changing) and a full-time social media team (parents taking photos). The older brother is now miserable and tries to get his parents' attention by stripping off his clothes and peeing on a fence post (we see his bare bottom). When that doesn't work, he cries in the corner. But when baby sister crawls over and affectionately reaches up to him, he picks her up and reads to her -- until, babies being babies, she grabs the book and clonks him on the head.
Is It Any Good?
In some ways, this sequel works even better than the very funny first book, since it includes the older sibling the books are aimed at, giving it heart and more opportunities for humor. In The Bossier Baby the older sib goes to great lengths to recapture his family's attention. In one startling funny spread, he strips off his onesie outside and pees on a fence post. The accompanying text is understated and droll, stating that no one paid attention to him: "No matter what he did. Where he did it. Or how outrageous it was." This is where older kids might guffaw loudly, just wishing they could strip down and let loose.
As in the first book, Frazee wrings humor from corporate lingo -- "business plan" and "restructure the organization" -- and draws visual inspiration from mid-century modern décor. This time, the parents relax with martinis and the baby keeps notes on an Etch A Sketch. Once again, warmth and connection win out as the suddenly affectionate little sister holds her arms up to her big brother and he picks her up. He reads to her, a tender moment -- until she grabs the book and clobbers him on the head.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how The Bossier Baby compares with The Boss Baby. Have you read both? How are they different? How are they the same?
Do you have a younger sibling? Do you sometimes feel that they're the boss of you or the boss of your parents?
When you look at the pictures, how can you tell how the big brother feels?
Book Details
- Author: Marla Frazee
- Illustrator: Marla Frazee
- Genre: Picture Book
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Beach Lane Books
- Publication date: November 1, 2016
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 4 - 8
- Number of pages: 40
- Available on: Paperback, Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: July 13, 2017
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