His Royal Highness, King Baby

Sally Lloyd-Jones's picture book lets an outraged older sister narrate the arrival of her baby brother as if documenting the hostile takeover of a once-peaceful kingdom, and the comic voice is a genuine achievement. The smelly, noisy, attention-stealing King Baby is rendered with righteous indignation that will ring completely true to any child who has been there. David Roberts's mixed-media illustrations — part retro 1970s style, part the sister's own crayon drawings from her 'Drawing Book' — create a witty visual counterpoint to the overblown narration. Booklist called it 'an uproarious tale of new-baby mayhem,' and that's accurate. The one caveat: the humour lands best when an adult commits to the voice at read-aloud. For families welcoming a new sibling, this is a keeper.