[.ca] What to Expect When Mommy's Having a Baby (ISBN 0060538023)

From Amazon.com:
With a little handholding (or paw-holding) from Angus the Answer Dog, Mommy's first-born can be guided happily and intelligently through the often bewildering experience of becoming an older sibling. For children who are about to lose their only-child status (or their youngest-child status, in larger families), this read-aloud book is a treasure. On each two-page spread, Angus asks a question: "Where is the baby?" "How did the baby get in there?" "Can the baby hear and see me?" "Why doesn't Mommy feel well sometimes?" and more, each question anticipating the next. He answers these queries with clarity, sensitivity, and attention to age-appropriateness that will be a huge relief to parents and children. Each section has a little game or idea to help children understand what's happening in their family. The introduction invites parents to add to or edit the information provided, according to their own child-rearing philosophies. Heidi Murkoff, coauthor of the bestselling pregnancy book, What to Expect When You're Expecting, writes lucidly and honestly in all the books in the tremendously appealing What to Expect series for young children, including What to Expect When You Use the Potty and What to Expect When You Go to the Doctor. Laura Rader's cartoonish illustrations are fun and reassuring. Poor Angus will be dog-eared in no time! (Ages 2 to 5) --Emilie Coulter

The best book I have gotten for my older child....:
This book has really helped in preparing my older child for his new sibling. We read this just about every night now and he is excited to mark the milestone of which month I am in and what the baby is looking like according to the cute little pictures. I highly recommend this book to anyone dealing with preparing their child or children for new siblings!

Perfect for young children!:
I got this book for my 4 year old daughter and soon-to-be-big sister. She had many questions like, "How did the baby get in there?" and "How will the baby get out?" that I wasn't sure how to answer. I wanted to be honest AND age-appropriate, but felt a little overwhelmed. This book asnwers these questions and many more in simple words for kids to understand. I'd suggest this book for anyone with a preschool aged child who is about to have a new sibling. My daughter also enjoys the activities suggested with each question. This book has made it much easier for me to discuss many aspects of childbirth with her.

Excellent book, but more for older children (4 & up):
Great book with lots of info, but it's written more for ages 4 & up even though it says it's for 2 & up. The terminology is that which most 2 & 3 year-olds will not understand even if it's explained to them. And the "How did the baby get in Mommy's tummy?" section is one I've skipped over when reading the book to my son. A little too much intimate detail for a 2yo to comprehend. Overall, an excellent book, but keep in mind that there are a couple sections you'll probably skip if your soon-to-be older sibling is under 4.

Excellent book for kids 3 and up:
I got this book for my daughter last spring, when I was pregnant with her sister. The book is wonderful. It answers kids' questions in a way that they can understand. My daughter was 3 1/2 at the time and the book was a favorite -- it satisfied her curiosity in a more "grown-up way" than most other sibling stories, but without giving too much information. I have found that many books just treat the pregnancy as a very vague and "untouchable" topic for kids. This brings it home in a sensitive and caring way. The questions asked (Where is the baby? How did the baby get in there? How can a baby fit inside Mommy? What makes the baby grow & how can I help? How does the baby eat? Can the baby see and hear me? What does the baby do all day? Why doesn't Mommy feel well sometimes? Why does Mommy go to the doctor so much? When will the baby come out? & How does it come out?) cover most aspects of pregnancy. The "How did the baby get in there?" section does use correct terms (sperm and ovum) but does not get too "graphic" -- it explains conception as pieces of a puzzle fitting together. The book also uses terms like umbilical cord and birth canal, but in a way that is not intimidating to kids. The book gives a good overview and makes the sibling feel connected and part of the process (each section refers to something they can do to help out or experiment to help them feel what the baby may be feeling). I would have loved if the book had covered what happened once the baby came home -- but I see now that topic is a whole new book! I highly recommend this book! Enjoy it with your soon-to-be big brother/sister! It can promote a lot of discussion & create some special moments together before the baby comes -- it did for us!

A good book on pregnancy for younger children:
This book explains a lot of aspects of pregnancy to very young children in a simple way. My five year-old daughter, who is very bright, had a few questions answered by this book but I think that it was a bit too simple for her. It didn't answer all of her questions. Also, this book is very short. I expected it to be longer for the price. But its simplicity would be appropriate for a very young child--say, 2 to 4 years old. If your child is any older than 5 I wouldn't bother with this book, but for a young child it would be perfect.