Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly, and Pecan Pie Baby

Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly, and Pecan Pie Baby

• ellie.jpg726611
• 61.bo.cookingwithhenry_elliebelly_04.jpg726632
• Illustrations: copyright 2010 by ; Text copyright 2010 by Jacqueline Woodson; Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons; a division of Penguin Young Readers Group61.bo.pecanpiebaby_01.jpg726653
• Illustrations: copyright 2010 by ; Text copyright 2010 by Jacqueline Woodson; Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons; a division of Penguin Young Readers Group61.bo.pecanpiebaby.1.jpg726674
• Illustrations: copyright 2010 by ; Text copyright 2010 by Jacqueline Woodson; Published by G. P. Putnam's Sons; a division of Penguin Young Readers Group61.bo.pecanpiebaby.2.jpg726695

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Little brothers and sisters mean big trouble—at least in the opinion of the older siblings in two new tales. Cooking with Henry and Elliebelly (Feiwel and Friends, $17, ages 2 to 8) is the first kids' book by author Carolyn Parkhurst (The Dogs of Babel). She introduces five-year-old Henry and his toddler-aged sis, who's winningly depicted by artist Dan Yaccarino as a ginger-haired pixie in fairy wings. The pair is staging a pretend cooking program, but while Henry has a vision for the production, Elliebelly's constant interruptions steal the show—and the book.

In Pecan Pie Baby (Putnam, $17, ages 5 to 8), Gia is also exasperated by a younger sibling, though the "ding-dang baby" has yet to be born. It's always been "just me and mama," Gia muses. But with her mother's gentle reassurance, Gia begins to warm to the big-sister concept. Cozily illustrated by Sophie Blackall using thin-line ink and watercolors, Jacqueline Woodson's story taps into feelings any kid, big sib or not, can understand.—Elizabeth Bird