About This Book
Reach for this book when your children are stuck in a cycle of 'it's not fair' or competing for your attention. It is the perfect tool for when siblings are convinced that a brother or sister is the 'favorite' child. This humorous and relatable story provides two different perspectives on the same family life, one from an eight-year-old girl and one from her six-year-old brother. Each child describes the other as an annoying burden while being certain that their parents love the other sibling more. By showing that both children feel this way, Judy Blume brilliantly normalizes sibling jealousy and reassures children that parental love isn't a finite resource to be won or lost. It is a gentle, funny way to open a conversation about family dynamics and individual needs.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
None. The book captures typical childhood frustrations and verbal sparring between siblings without crossing into harmful territory.
Ideal Reader
A child between ages 5 and 8 who is currently navigating a 'sibling war' or a child who frequently compares themselves to others in the family.
Parent Prep
This book can be read cold. It is an excellent 'two-sided' story that works best if read in one sitting so the child can see the contrast between the two perspectives. A parent might reach for this after a long day of refereeing arguments over who got more juice or who got to sit in the front seat.
Age Experience
Younger children (4-5) will find the 'The Pain's' antics funny and relatable. Older children (7-8) will recognize the irony in the two perspectives and might begin to understand that their own siblings might feel the same way they do.
What Makes It Special
Unlike many books that try to 'fix' sibling rivalry, Blume simply mirrors it. By using a first-person perspective for both children, she allows the reader to experience the 'truth' of both sides, which is a powerful lesson in empathy.
Read plot summary
The story is divided into two parts. In the first half, an eight-year-old girl (The Great One) explains why her younger brother (The Pain) is a nuisance and why she is convinced their parents love him more because they let him get away with everything. In the second half, the six-year-old brother (The Pain) explains why his sister is a show-off and why he thinks their parents love her more because she gets to do grown-up things. Both sections end with the parents showing affection to the narrator, leaving the reader to see that both children are equally cherished.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
The Great One thinks The Pain gets all the attention. The Pain thinks The Great One is the favorite. How can they both be right, or are they both wrong?
2
What are some things 'The Pain' does that remind you of your own brother or sister? What about 'The Great One'?
3
At the end of each story, the parents hug the child. What are some ways we show love in our family that don't involve being the 'favorite'?
4
If you wrote a story about your sibling, what funny nickname would you give them? What would they call you?
5
Why do you think the sister thinks it is unfair that the brother doesn't have to keep his room clean, while the brother thinks it is unfair that she gets to stay up later?
