Whatever Happened To My Sister?

“My dad must have suspected something too.  But when I asked if he had noticed anything strange, he just looked at the ceiling, muttering”.

Whatever Happened to My Sister? by Simona Ciraolo

Did you have an older sibling growing up?  Did you notice when they started to “grow up” and “change” as they entered adolescence? This is the story of a little girl who notices a big change in her sister, almost like she is a whole new sister.  Her older sister isn’t interested in playing hula hoop, keeps her door shut a lot, acts more secretive, and isn’t interested in dressing the pet cat anymore, just to name a few of her observations.  She sets out on a mission to find out what happened to her old sister.  My favorite line is the one I quoted above, where she asks her father if he’s noticed and he just looks at the ceiling and mutters.  (priceless!)  To her relief in the end, she discovers that the sister she knows is still there (albeit changed a bit) and that she still values their relationship.  They find that they can still connect, just in new ways.  The little sister is comforted and at the end the older sister even remarks that the younger sister herself is growing up.

I think this book is a very sweet way to address an age gap in siblings for children who have one or more older siblings starting adolescence.  It is a great way to open discussion with them and I feel this book handles it in a respectful, applicable, and even charming way.  The illustrations definitely add to the charm and I love the simple, muted color palette that Simona choose. It is one to definitely add to your library.

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