A Sibling’s Guide to Big Feelings by Katie McDonough

Sound life advice on relatable problems from a big sis to a little one

Forget the free lunches, playgrounds, and Christmas presents—it’s not easy being a kid. Sure, playtime might be more fun than it will be thirty years from now, but as a kid, you’re dealing with big feelings that you’ve never had before and don’t know how to handle. What are you supposed to do with yourself when big brother won’t share with you? When he starts to hit? When Mom leaves for the day (or even just an hour)?

Lucky for your little reader, big sister is here to help. A Sibling’s Guide to Big Feelings by Katie McDonough is a nonfiction rhyming book narrated by an older sister who has dealt with all of these feelings before. Worry? You betcha. Frustration? Definitely. Feeling like it’s unfair that you have to eat broccoli? She might be a little too familiar with that.

This book’s shining attribute is just how real and relatable these issues are for little ones. The first three issues the child is struggling with seem ripped straight from my own little one’s life. It’s not easy watching mama walk out of the door and being told that you can’t go with her. Tantrums aren’t uncommon in our (and probably your) house. They happen for small things too, like when you really want the pink plate for dinner but you get the green one instead. I didn’t think I’d have a problem with this one before having kids, but what parent of two+ hasn’t run into an issue with hitting before? This book tackles issues that you’re probably dealing with as a parent right now.

“When our Mum would go away, / I wanted to scream and shout. / I couldn’t pick just one way / to get my feelings out.”

The rhymes are stretched a bit too far sometimes, and the sentences go on a bit too long for its target audience. It’s a lot to take in as a little reader, especially as a nonfiction life advice book rather than a running narrative. On top of this, big sis might sound a bit too much like mom, teaching issues with almost too mature an outlook and using terms of affection like “My love.” 

The illustrations are cute and clean, and little readers will undoubtedly cling to the big sister giving so much attention and care to the little one. What little sibling doesn’t want undivided attention from their big? This could be a cute choice for an older sibling to read to the baby or toddler in their life, but some of the sentences and rhymes could trip them up.

Overall, A Sibling’s Guide to Big Feelings is full of good advice for kids learning to be kids. If your child is struggling with issues like mom leaving for work, sharing, or hitting, the advice in this book could show them that it’s okay to have these feelings and, if big sister is saying them too, that their parents’ advice might be pretty good after all.