The new book from Lauren Child of Charlie and Lola, Clarice Bean and Ruby Redfort fame, is set to become curriculum reading for first children with a fresh sibling. The style is similar to Charlie and Lola — graph paper, cut-outs, big eyes, small mouths and words in dizzying layouts. But the characters — all black, incidentally — are new: meet Elmore Green and his new baby brother, the “New Small Person” of the title.
Child sums up beautifully that tricky time when a once only-child becomes the corner of attention and has to learn to share their jelly beans as well as the family stage. Before the new arrival, Elmore “could eat every single bean, all by himself, in whatever order he liked. There was no worry about anyone eating the orange ones”. When his brother comes, he interrupts Elmore’s TV viewing, has his eyes on his favourite sweets and, worst of all, wants to be like him: “But everyone said that Elmore could not be cross because the small person was ONLY small.”
Child falls short of inserting attempted fratricide into the narrative (sometimes I wish modern children’s books dared to be darker) but I loved Elmore’s escape up a tree trunk — and the turning point, when Elmore realises life’s more fun in pairs but that other people can’t have every last bit of you (especially the orange jelly beany bits). It is sweet without being sickly.
All this and another one on the way — the next Ruby Redfort is out this autumn. Child is as good on words as pictures and pushes herself further with each title. Her books deserve first position in every young family.
The New Small Person (5+) by Lauren Child, Puffin, £10.99