Mommy's Lap by Ruth Horowitz

Illustrated by Henri Sorensen. 24 pages. Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, 1993.

Sophie loves being in Mommy's lap, a very special place. When Mommy becomes pregnant, there is less room in her lap and she is generally less available to Sophie and somewhat preoccupied with the new baby. Sophie tolerates this unhappily. When baby Sam is born, Mommy immediately finds room for both Sam and Sophie on her lap -- and when she holds Sam herself, Sophie learns that her own lap is a wonderful place. This story helps children understand that their mother's preoccupation during pregnancy is temporary, and that even though things will never be the same when a new baby is born, their relationship with their mother isn't just diminished, it's more differentiated and complex, through the child's identification with her.

Ages: 3-7
Cultural Context: European American

A Pocket Full of Kisses by Audrey Penn

Illustrated by Barbara Leonard Gibson. 32 pages. Tanglewood, 2006.

When children have a younger sibling, they may worry that they won't be special to their parents any more, and as a result, won't get enough love. In this sequel to The Kissing Hand, Chester the raccoon has a little brother, Ronny, who takes his things, follows him around, pulls his tail, and generally annoys him. When Chester's mother reassures him with a Kissing Hand, he's happy because he knows that she loves him. But when she gives Ronny a Kissing Hand, he's shocked - he thinks she's given Ronny his (Chester’s) Kissing Hand. He worries that she doesn't have enough Kissing Hands for both young raccoons. Patiently, Mrs. Raccoon reassures Chester by telling a story in which the endless light of the sun resembles her endless love for the two of them. But what's most reassuring of all is the extra Kissing Hand she gives Chester to keep in his pocket in case he ever needs it - to meet the special needs of a big brother. With Chester, older siblings will learn to maintain their sense of themselves as special and loved.

Ages: 4-7
Cultural Context: non-human

Virgie Goes to School with Us Boys by Elizabeth Fitzgerald Howard

Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. 26 pages. Simon and Schuster, 2000.

Set in Reconstruction-era Tennessee, this book tells the story of Virgie, the youngest in a family that includes six brothers. She wants to go to school with her brothers, but they tell her she's not strong enough to tolerate the seven-mile walk, she'd be unable to be without Mama when they stay at school all week, and besides, school is unnecessary for girls. Her brother C.C. supports her, and their parents decide that, like other free people, she will go to school. She not only survives the trip, but survives it cheerfully, and invents strategies for getting through the scary woods. She plans to tell their parents all about school so as to share her learning with them. An afterword describes the consequences of prohibiting African American slaves from learning to read, and explains the story's origin in events that occurred in the author's family. Virgie is a wonderful role model in her resistance to discrimination based on both gender and cultural background.

Ages: 6-8
Cultural Context: multicultural

Amos and Boris by William Steig

Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1971.

Amos is a mouse who lives on the beach. Because he wonders about other lands across the ocean, he builds a boat and sets sail. He has a wonderful time until he falls off the boat and can't get back aboard. A whale named Boris rescues Amos and takes him home, and the two become close friends. They realize that although they can't live in the same place, they can still be friends and will always remember each other. Many years later, Boris is washed ashore in a storm, and Amos finds him. Boris doesn't think Amos can help him, but Amos brings two elephants who push Boris back into the water. Although it's painful for them to part again, they know they'll always be in each other's hearts. This story shows children how acts of kindness can lead to deep and long-lasting friendship, and how even friends who are apart can feel close to each other.

Ages: 5-9
Cultural Context: non-human