We found all of these books to be helpful (in different ways) for preparing for an sibling.
Waiting for Baby and My New Baby have no words; their stories revolve around a toddler’s-eye viewpoint of what happens when mom is pregnant and then what happens when the baby arrives. There are three primary reasons these books are a great way for toddlers to get used to what is going on and what is likely to happen next. First, you can customize the “story” to where you are in the process and what they most want to know. Second, there is a real focus on showing how the soon-to-be sibling will be involved in the process (for example, helping make dinner for a tired mom, or helping dad take baby on an outing). Third, the books make it very clear that the older sibling always has an important place at the center of the family. We “read” these books a lot.
What Shall We Do With the Boo-Hoo Baby? gets toddlers used to the idea that babies cry sometimes, and there are things that you can try to do that might help, but sometimes they won’t work out as hoped (and that is OK).
On Mother’s Lap has a simple, sweet message of there always being enough room on mother’s lap (and, implicitly, enough love to go around).
Authors: Annie Kubler, Cressida Cowell, Ann Herbert Scott
Illustrators: Annie Kubler, Ingrid Godon, Glo Coalson