Lily Babysits Her Brother. (First Novels). Brenda Bellingham. Illustrated by Clarke MacDonald. Halifax, NS: Formac, 2013. 49 pp., pbk., hc. & ebook, $5.95 (pbk.), $14.95 (hc.), $4.95 (ebook). ISBN 978-1-4595-0287-1 (pbk.), ISBN 978-1-4595-0286-4 (hc.), ISBN 978-1-4595-0288-8 (ebook). Kindergarten-grade 3 / Ages 5-8. Review by John Dryden. **** /4

excerpt:

“Why not leave it in its grave.”

“Cause birds don't like to be covered in dirt,” he said. “They like to see the sun, and fly around, and sit in a tree.” He sighs. “I can't reach up there.”

“The bird is dead, Mac,” I say, “It can't fly.”

“That's why I put him in my tractor. It's the best thing I can think of.”

Lilly Babysits Her Brother is a story about the closeness between a sister and a little brother. Lilly is given the responsibility of looking after her little four-year-old brother, Mac, for the first time. She has a good time, mainly because Mac stays out of the way, out of trouble, and is generally easy to please until he finds a dead bird. Lilly takes the time, with another friend, to bury the bird only to discover that the grave is robbed by Mac! Mac explains that he feels very badly for the little bird, and Lilly assists him in re-burying it in a way that makes Mac more comfortable. The bird is put in a painted shoebox which is then placed in a tree by one of the adults.

     I was really pleased to read this pleasant little book. There was a charming relationship described here by Brenda Bellingham. She captured a very nice relationship between Lilly and Mac through the play time and help they provided one another. Bellingham gives Lilly enough freedom that readers learn about her precocious spirit as she plays by herself, or with her friend, and keeps her distance from her brother. When sister and brother do interact, it is with a genuine feeling of family, and the shared love between the two characters is evidenced. This is one of the most enjoyable books of this type I have read. Bellingham focuses on the two characters and doesn't rely upon a forced dialogue or too much plot to distract from the natural relationship and special bond the siblings have.

Highly Recommended.

John Dryden teaches in an elementary school in BC’s Cowichan Valley.

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