Product Description

Patricia's freckled-faced older brother is always showing her up. Then he rubs it in with that extra-rotten, weasel-eyed, greeny-toothed grin of his. But one day, after Patricia finds something at which she can beat Richard, she becomes one of his biggest fans. Full color.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20282 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780689820366
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
A girl burdened with a bratty big brother tries to do something, anything, better than he can. "The text rings true with the authentic battling words of childhood spats," said PW. Ages 4-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-Featuring an obnoxious, freckle-faced, bespectacled boy and a comforting, tale-telling grandmother, this autobiographical story is as satisfying as a warm slice of apple pie. Patricia can't quite understand how anyone could possibly like her older brother Richard. Whether picking blackberries or eating raw rhubarb, he always manages to outdo her, rubbing it in with one of his "extra-rotten, weasel-eyed, greeny-toothed grins." When their Bubbie teaches Patricia to wish on a falling star, she knows just what to ask for. The next day her wish comes true; although dizzy, she remains on the carnival merry-go-round longer than Richard. Her nemesis turns into her hero, however, when she takes a spill and he carries her home. This warm-hearted look at a typical family relationship will strike a familiar chord with siblings of all ages. The endless "can so/cannot" arguments and the girl's total exasperation make the dialogue entertaining and realistic. Bubbie's musings are more poetic, adding a sense of wonder to the everyday tone of the text. Polacco's exuberant illustrations, done in marking pens and pencil, are filled with warmth and humor. Pointing angrily at one another or quietly cuddling against Bubbie's heart, the characters are carefully posed to reflect the story's varying moods. Barnyard animals provide an amusing backdrop to the children's antics, puckering their faces at the sour rhubarb and smiling sweetly at a tender moment. Black-and-white photographs of Patricia and Richie at different ages are scattered across the endpapers, adding the final touch to this endearing reminiscence.
Joy Fleishhacker, New York Public Library
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 5-8. Polacco's story of her childhood rivalry with her brother Richard harks back to growing up with grandparents in Union City, Michigan, and catches competition at gut level. Her grandmother, Bubbie, whom readers will recognize from other Polacco books, doesn't seem to know how rotten Richard is. Polacco conveys the passionate intensity of conflict--trying to pick more berries, eat more rhubarb, and stay on the merry-go-round longer--as well as the abiding love beneath it. The figures of the children are intense and full of motion, and the facial expressions are beautifully accomplished. Surrounding it all are Babushka-clad Bubbie's comforting love and warm hugs. Mary Harris Veeder

Customer Reviews

My Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother
I love this book! I think it is really good at the very end of the book when there are only black & white photographs. And I also like when the older brother says he doesn't like rhubarb but he really does. I like it when the older brother is nice to his sister in the end.

Brilliant story of sibling rivalry !
A great book that shows the relationships between brothers and sisters, both good and bad. The author Patricia Polacco writes about her and her own brother and how she had always wanted to beat him at some thing. Trying as hard as she can, she fails every time, until one day she wishes upon a star, and her relationship with her brother changes forever.
This book has unique and colorful illustrations that help to show the sibling rivalry between Patricia and her brother. A must read for sibling of any age, and even adults who haven't spoken to their brothers or sisters in a long time.
by Jordan Miller

One of Patricia Polacco's best books
My daughter is a Patricia Polacco fan. She has read almost all the books Patricia Polacco has ever written. Rotten Red-Headed Older Brother is one of her favorites. Everyone can relate to a mean older sibling. Best of all, the book is based on the author's real brother.