This is one of few picture books centering a human child with LGBTQ parents who is getting a new sibling. (More than you may think show only animal analogies).
When Harper’s dads tell her they’re adopting a baby boy soon, she’s excited to become a big sister and happily helps get things ready. She imagines her brother joining in their family activities, from playing on the playground to eating tacos every Tuesday. When the baby is born, the dads head to the hospital while Harper stays with the sitter (who has pink hair, a possible queer cue). When they get home with baby Wyatt, Harper can’t wait to do fun things with him.
Reality is different, however. New baby Wyatt just sleeps, eats, and needs his diaper changed. Harper’s dads are too tired or too busy with Wyatt to spend much time with her. “Everything is about the baby!” she eventually yells, storming off to her room.
Her dads follow and gently ask if she’s okay. She tells them she’s mad that everything’s so different; they promise to be better about finding time for her. She asks if they love her less now that they have two kids; they reply that their growing family means there’s even more love to go around. Dad plays hide-and-seek with her while Daddy holds Wyatt, and we know that this family is going to work things out.
Kirst is known for tales of life in two-dad families that thoughtfully explore situations a child might encounter and model useful ways of working through their emotions, and he does so again here. The book shares the same protagonist family as Kirst’s Dad and Daddy’s Big Big Family, although each can be read separately. In both, illustrator Karen Bunting brings a warm charm to the characters and their world. Highly recommended.
Harper and one dad have medium-brown skin and dark brown hair; the other dad has lighter skin and dark hair.
