The Bestest Big Brother, Ever

Gr 1-3–DEI edit coming.The dynamics of two brothers is charmingly centered in this book. The story is told by Nano, the younger brother who idolizes his older brother Felix. At the beginning of the story, Nano is gushing about Felix, stating that they are “one person in two bodies.” Meanwhile, the expression on Felix’s face as well as his loud protestations tell a different story; he is the older brother who is often driven crazy by the younger one. Finally, Felix has had enough, blocking Nano from his treehouse and exclaiming, ”Now stop copying me. And stop following me. And just leave me alone!” Nano responds with righteous indignation, stomping off to make his own house in the rain. Initially, Nano succeeds in cobbling together an umbrella house, but eventually the wind blows his house apart, and Felix does nothing to stop the destruction. Eventually, the brothers spend a joyful afternoon listening and playing together in the rain. The illustrations are colorful, showing the way that Nano views the world, and the facial expressions on the brothers, particularly their expressive eyes, capture their whirlwind, ever-changing feelings.