BIG SISTER COCO #1: A Birthday Surprise
By Jesse Byrd; illustrated by Lau Moraiti
Booklist
Print: November 1/15, 2023; Online: November 9, 2023
A Birthday Surprise.By Jesse Byrd. Illus. by Lau Moraiti
2023. 48p. Baker & Taylor/Paw Prints, $15.99 (9781223187075); paper, $5.99
(9781223187082); e-book, $5.99 (9781223187099). Gr. 1-3. 741.5
In this comics-style early reader containing three stories, the fun begins with Bo's birthday, which
is happening in just three days! He is eager to open his present ahead of time and determined to
find its secret hidden spot, and his older sister, Coco, signs up for the gift-hunting quest. One
clue leads to the next, and they eventually find his present inside his toy box: tickets to the water
park! In the next story, Bo's birthday is here, and the siblings help each other decide what to
pack for their big day, and in the final story, Coco and Bo are ecstatic to explore the water park.
With all sorts of splashy options, they opt for "the really REALLY big one." Bo finds it scary at
first, but his loving big sister compassionately helps guide him away from his fear. Conveyed
primarily in speech balloons with simple text, this warmly illustrated story about a pair of caring
siblings is a great introduction for emerging readers, particularly those who are interested in
comics.
-- Vivian Alvarez
