From Elizabeth Kennedy,
Your Guide to Children's Books.
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There are a great many beautiful children's picture books about adoption. There are also many children's books for older children about adoption. It's nice to see a chapter book for beginning readers on the topic, especially one as entertaining as Emma's Yucky Brother. It's the first book in a series about Emma and her adopted brother, Max, by award-winning Canadian author Jean Little. Emma's Yucky Brother can be enjoyed for independent reading and as a read-aloud.

Jean Little and Jennifer Plecas: The Author and the Illustrator

Jean Little is a Canadian author who has written a number of award-winning children's books. Her awards include a Canadian Library Association Book of the Year Medal and a Governor-General's Award for Children's Literature. For almost forty years, Jean Little has been writing children's books that have attracted an international audience. She has written books for both young and older readers. Emma's Yucky Brother was published in 2001 by HarperCollins. It is illustrated with childlike artwork in pen and watercolor by Jennifer Plecas.

Emma's Yucky Brother: The Story

Poor Emma! She has it all planned. Her parents are adopting a four year old boy named Max. Emma is convinced he'll be little and sweet, and it will be wonderful having a brother. When she tells her friend Sally that Max is coming to visit, Sally warns her that little brothers can be pests. Emma won't listen.

Her expectations take a blow from reality when Max comes to visit. He isn't little and he isn't friendly. Max tells Emma the cookies she made him are "yucky." When Emma's friend Sally comes over, Max plays with Sally and her little brother, Josh. When Max leaves, he doesn't even say good-bye to Emma.

In spite of reassurance from her parents, Emma feels hurt; Max doesn't like her or her cookies and likes Sally best. In fact, Emma is mad, shouting, "...I don't need a brother. Brothers are nothing but pests!" Things do not improve when Max comes for the weekend. He wants to play with Sally and calls Emma "Yucky Emma." Max misses his foster mother, Jane, and cries for her.

As Emma sees how unhappy Max is, she begins to soften towards him. Reassurance from her parents as to their love for her helps. However, when Max moves in, he is still belligerent towards Emma and keeps calling her "Yucky Emma." Emma realizes that Sally was right; sometimes a brother can be a pest. When Max runs away after accidentally breaking her doll, Emma realizes how much she cares for him. When Emma finally finds Max, her little brother realizes he can depend on her when he needs help. When Sally congratulates "Yucky Emma" for finding Max, Max corrects her, saying, "Emma isn't yucky. She's my sister."

Recommendation

In addition to the fact that Emma's Yucky Brother is well written and illustrated, I liked this book for several reasons. First, it is quite realistic in depicting the mixed emotions that children feel in situations such as this. Emma has unrealistic expectations about what it will be like to have a little brother. Max is unhappy and angry to have left Jane. He takes out much of his unhappiness on Emma. Rather than an overnight change, Little's book reflects changes that occur over time, not an easy task in a short book. I also like the fact that the book can be used as both a read-aloud and for independent reading. I can see this book becoming dog-eared from use. (HarperCollins, 2001. ISBN: 0064442586)