WHEN I GROW BIGGER

Natalie, Leanne, and Sam all like to tease Thomas because he is just a little tiny baby while they are such big kids. They ignore him while they go to play with his dad's wheelbarrow. A fight erupts, and Thomas's dad comes out to settle the dispute. Dad puts Thomas in the wheelbarrow, and the three older children take him for a ride. Then they get the idea of stretching Thomas, so that he will grow bigger and be a lot more fun. Fortunately, dad steps in again to rescue Thomas and gives him a ride on his shoulders, so that now he is bigger than anybody. The story is not well conceived and often confused and unfocused. Too many little incidents occur, and none of them add up to very much at all. Children old enough to understand the story will already be past identifying with Thomas, its baby hero, and will instead have greater sympathy for the older children who get their comeuppance. A muddled, unsatisfying tale that is ultimately not redeemed by the spirited illustrations. (Picture book. 3+)