Common Sense Media Review
By Tracy Moore
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Charming tale of language, welcoming new sibling.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 3+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
Sophie's brand-new baby sister has just arrived, and though her parents are calling her Ashleigh, Sophie isn't so sure that's the best name for her; nor is she sure of the best way to communicate with this new presence. So she tries out a variety of languages she invented, much to her parents' dismay. Eventually, Granny is called in to help Sophie use her language skills to communicate with the new baby, if she can settle on the perfect one.
Is It Any Good?
USE YOUR WORDS, SOPHIE is a sweet book about welcoming a sibling and reacting in your own way. Sophie resorts to what seems like nonsensical babble, but there's a method to the madness: She's trying on languages for size, regressing a little, and exploring language in a fun, creative way. There's a nice intergenerational touch when Granny gets involved and helps funnel Sophie's creativity into something that's helpful for everyone -- by redirecting it toward help with the newborn.
This is a simple, easy-to-understand book about a very relatable subject, and the soft-ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations give it a very comforting, old-timey feel. Kids will delight in some of these made-up languages and may spend a day or two making up their own.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about having a brother or sister. Do you have siblings? What's it like? What's your favorite thing about having a brother or sister?
Did you understand Sophie's secret languages? Have you ever made up languages of your own? If so, what were they?
What things do you do to help with with your baby sister or brother?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Rosemary Wells
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Animals , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Viking
- Publication date : March 17, 2015
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 2 - 6
- Number of pages : 32
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
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