Reviewed by Dr. Jordan Alexander for Readers' Favorite

A Little Sister for Brady by April M. Cox is a delightful children’s book that helps explain feelings around change through the eyes of Brady, an adorable, fluffy Labradoodle puppy. When a new little sister arrives on the scene, Brady goes through the typical range of emotions a child would experience when something new happens to alter their routine. The author carefully and thoughtfully describes how Brady feels ignored, pushed aside, and how Mandy, his new sister, is getting all the love and attention that he (and only he) enjoyed BEFORE she arrived. By nightfall, Brady wishes he did NOT have a sister at all. His feelings are short-lived as in the morning when Mandy is nowhere to be found, Brady comes to realize he actually enjoyed having his sister around. Contentment fills Brady’s heart as Mandy reappears. The story concludes with companionship and love between the pups demonstrating to children to persevere even when initially something new may feel uncomfortable and a bit of a step backward. A Little Sister for Brady is a lively picture book for young children. Each page is brightly colored with beautiful characters and illustrations that support the story scenes.

Parents and teachers alike will enjoy A Little Sister for Brady by April M. Cox to explore change and feelings that children encounter from new experiences - like when children may also face the arrival of a new sibling in real life. The time and reflection Brady takes to go from feeling unhappy to seeing the benefits of change gives a lovely pathway to draw parallels for youngsters going through similar emotions surrounding new events. But wait, there’s more! The generous author has also added bonus features to the educational book including video, printable coloring sheets, and free resources. Overall, A Little Sister for Brady gets an A+ as a story and for its colorful, bold, and warm illustrations. Both are sure to captivate young readers. As an educational book, it achieves the author’s desire to help “little hearts” develop resilience to be “happy, healthy, and successful.”