Younger siblings often look up to older siblings.
They marvel at the things they can do and want to know just how far their talents reach.
But older siblings are sometimes smug, and they assume their talents reach further than they actually do.
They often don’t feel the need to prove themselves and often believe they can do everything better than their younger siblings simply because they are older. As a middle child, I’m an expert on this, being both a younger and an older sibling!
Written entirely in dialogue, Can You Do This? explores this old-as-time family feud with a younger sibling asking their older sibling if they can do a series of things. Of course the older sibling can and just says yes, and the younger sibling, of course, believes him. But can big brother actually do all these things? And does little brother realise in demonstrating all these activities, he is doing them too?
This is a fun book with minimal text and lots of bright and action-packed illustrations. It’s for exploring and reading slowly to savour the pictures and enjoy the details.
This would be a great book for two siblings to read together, and an easy read for newly independent readers. I think kids would love figuring out the humour and hidden messages caught between the covers.
A fun and funny take on sibling rivalry by Michael Wagner and Heath McKenzie.
Title: Can You Do This?
Author: Michael Wagner
Illustrator: Heath McKenzie
Publisher: ABC Books, $19.99
Publication Date: 3 February 2021
Format: Hard Cover
ISBN: 9780733335723
For ages: 3 - 6
Type: Picture Book