This is such a charming book about finding inspiration where you least expect it. Lizzie loves to make up stories and the attention that comes with it. After the arrival of her little brother, Marvin, the spot light shifts. Lizzie draws inspiration from her brother to create tales of nasty pirates and a vicious fish. When her brother isn’t there, she quickly realizes that although he is bothersome, he’s her greatest inspiration.
This book would be very relatable for students who have younger siblings. I think it accurately depicts the jealousy and annoyance an older sibling might feel once the attention shifts.
I also love how there is a subtle lesson in not knowing what you have until it’s gone. Marvin is her muse, but she doesn’t know it until he’s away. Sullivan does such a fantastic job of making writing appealing to children by adding small tidbits of Lizzie’s adventurous stories throughout the text. Witnessing Lizzie’s passion and enthusiasm for writing could make other children see the magic and fun of storytelling. ( )

Simply put, this book is pretty cool. With a story that retains charm and interest throughout its entirety, "Once Upon a Baby Brother" has a artistic style which drives the action. Penny, an artistically talented and vibrantly imaginative young girl, struggles to adjust to life no longer as an only child and to find motivation her school assignment, which is to create a comic book from scratch. It is only with the departure of her infant brother for a weekend with their grandparents that she realized just what her inspiration is. Sullivan and Tusa, the respective author and illustrator of this charming tale, use metafictional tactics to create a substory within Penny's comic book pages that sums up her feelings for her sibling. A perfect book for someone welcoming a new brother or sister into the world. ( )

When he goes away on a trip, Lizzie, who loves to tell and write stories, is surprised to discover that much of her storytelling inspiration comes from her messy baby brother Marvin. This book is really cute. I would read this book to my students to show that you can get inspiration from anywhere. ( )

This tender book introduces reader to imaginative Lizzie with a talent for creative writing, who finds her inspiration in the last place she would like to admit, her new, demanding baby brother, Marvin. ( )

There is an important and relevant lesson is to be learned in this story. I liked the book because it is relevant to my kids (dealing with a terrorizing baby brother), but the ending is a positive one. I think the text could have been more efficient, a bit shorter, and not lost it's potency.

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