When I’m Big; Karen Blair

Little children often hear the phrase, ‘Soon, you’ll be big.’ But what does that mean exactly? The idea of being big has a young imagination running wild in Karen Blair’s sweet story of family and what it means to be the big sibling.

A little girl used to be small, in fact she still is quite small, but lately everyone is telling her that she’ll be a big girl soon. At first the prospect of being bigger is exciting; she’ll be able to climb faster, reach higher, jump further and be more helpful. But just how big will she become? Is there ever such a thing as too big? And why is everyone so obsessed with her becoming the big girl in the family…

A classic phrase taken literally is the spark for a delightful and tender story of becoming the bigger sibling in the family. Full of love, gentle worries and overflowing with imagination, When I’m Big explores the thoughts, anxieties and wonderings of a child’s mind when they hear those words, ‘You’ll be a big girl soon.’ Whilst the events within the family are obvious to the reader, the little girl has all sorts of concerns about getting bigger. Will she still fit in her bed? Will there be room for her in the house? This all plays out in whimsical and smile-inducing scenes with the young protagonist as a giant staring down at her house, towering over her parents, taking a bath in the swimming pool, pushing granny - who is getting smaller - around in a wheelbarrow, hand-feeding a giraffe and tip-toeing Godzilla-like across the city. All of this leads to the pondering of, ‘Will I fit anywhere?’ Thankfully, mum is on hand to provide the reassurances needed and the explanation of what it means to be a big girl brings smiles and acceptance.

Complete with adorable endpapers that showcase a portrait gallery of family photos with the main protagonist in the story as a baby, growing-up and then being the big sister to her new sibling, this is a gorgeous book to gift to any young child who is welcoming a new sister or brother into the family.

Recommended for 4+.

With huge thanks to Penguin for the copy I received in exchange for an honest review.