Book Review: My Brother, Ant

Book Review:
My Brother, Ant

by Betsy Byars
Illustrated by Marc Simont
Reviewed by Christopher Essex

Published 1996 by Viking Press, 375 Hudson Street, NYC, NY 10014. $11.99 (clothbound).

My Brother, Ant is a Level 3 entry in the Viking easy-to-read series (reading level 1.7), designed, according to Viking, for reading aloud by ages 6-9. It is composed of four short stories, consisting almost completely of dialogues between two brothers, the unnamed narrator, who is perhaps nine, and his little brother, Anthony, who is nicknamed Ant. This book is, in fact, so dependent on dialogue that it might be a fine choice for a dramatic reading in class, or even better, in a home with two brothers of roughly the age of the two heroes. The boys' parents make brief appearances, but this book is not about that aspect of family life. The issues that come up between the boys are solved by them, without outside assistance. This book is about what it is like to have a brother.

In the four episodes, the humor is gentle and the situations are realistic, usually dealing with the difference in perspective between being a nine-year-old boy and a six-year-old boy. Such as when the older brother, slightly bored with reading aloud to Ant, changes the story of the Three Little Pigs to the Three Little Figs. Ant protests until he reads the story the 'correct' way, but then he won't let his brother finish the story because he knows that a wolf is involved. His brother offers to change the wolf to a big bad lemon, but Ant says that he will still know it is a wolf.

What is especially enjoyable about this book is that the focus, as in many books and TV shows, is not on the conflict between the brothers. Some children's books and TV shows almost seem to model bad sibling relationships, and those kind of escapades, while often funny, are not exactly the best influences on impressionable children's behavior. Believe it or not, these brothers don't fight or call names even once. They say "thank you" and "you're welcome." And yet their behavior towards each other is not too sickly sweet, either. Ms. Byars manages to portray a nice, realistic balance, and one that is probably more true to everyday behavior of brothers than the comic turns of smart aleck sitcom siblings.

This book is reminiscent of the Fudge series of books by Judy Blume, perenially popular and now a TV series. Even though the comparison between them isn't quite fair, as only the first book of the series, The One in the Middle is a Green Kangaroo, is at this reading level, it is a telling one. Fudge is rowdier than Ant, and he is funnier. And the situations in Blume's books are more inventive: the first story in this book is yet another 'monster under the bed' episode. But still, in terms of showing brothers how they could peaceably interact, My Brother, Ant is a far better model.

[Ant and Brother] Illustration by Marc Simant. Not to be reproduced without permission.
The illustrations by Marc Simant, which are in full color throughout, are appropriate and well-done. The boys look like the boys in a hundred other books you've seen (they're white, with brownish-black hair). The artist enters into the lightly humorous tone of the book when he illustrates the older brother's "Three Little Pig" variations, such as the "Three Little Bananas." These drawings are sure to provoke a laugh from any child.

Betsy Byars is famous for her books for slightly older children, such as the Newbery Medal-winning Summer of the Swans. Marc Simant is perhaps best known for illustrating The Philharmonic Gets Dressed and the Nate the Great series. As is the usual pattern, I'm sure that we will be hearing more from Ant, and I look forward to further adventures.

PCTO Rating:

(4 of 5 stars)

Return to the Table of Contents