Younger Brother's Survival Guide Book

IT'S NOT EASY HAVING AN OLDER SISTER.

Matt's sister calls him a pain. Matt's parents call them both wild animals. Matt calls it SURVIVING. That's why he wrote The Younger Brother's Survival Guide.

Matt shares his tips on how to avoid the infamous Mystery Shake and why you shouldn't run around the house in your underwear, and gives general pointers on coping with an older sibling. Before long, you two will get along great!

Just remember not to show this book to her. . . .

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-Kopelke has a firm grasp on the situational dramas that unfold in childhood and their potential for humor. Here, quirky caricatures depict two redheaded siblings with lopsided smirks who spend their days planning or escaping from one another's torment while the omniscient cat reacts. (The pet's sympathies lie with the older child.) Helpful tips from this younger brother's guidebook include: secretly switch glasses after your sister makes you a "Mystery Shake," don't follow her suggestion to get the candy out of your nose with bubble gum, and don't run around in underwear in case one is locked outside. The advice is presented as brief sentences on ripped notepaper against highly textured, energetic, acrylic and mixed-media scenes. Although he is younger, this protagonist is clearly not defenseless. Readers in any birth-order slot will take heart at Kopelke's depiction of familial life. Pair this story with David Pelham's Sam's Sandwich (Dutton, 1991) to offer a look at a sister on the receiving end.-Wendy Lukehart, Washington DC Public Library Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.