Waiting for Sophie

Waiting for a new baby is hard, and waiting for her to grow up into a playmate is even harder. Luckily Liam's Nana is just downstairs and always ready to help. When the two of them build a Get-Older-Faster Machine, Liam is surprised to find it's not Sophie who does the most growing up.

Waiting is hard. Liam waited through half of kindergarten for his baby sister to be born. Then, when little Sophie finally comes home, he discovers she won't be ready to play with him for a long, long time. As the months pass, everyone says that Liam is Sophie's favourite. He is the best at making her laugh and burp, but laughing and burping are not enough for Liam. With the help of Nana-Downstairs, he designs and builds a Get Older Faster Machine. It doesn't seem to work on Sophie, but maybe Sophie is not the only one doing some growing up.

In Waiting for Sophie, multi-award-winning author Sarah Ellis, known for her winsome way with words, introduces a warm, funny, down-to-earth family gracefully navigating a time of change together. Illustrator Carmen Mok renders them sweetly in approachable color illustrations.

Appealingly packaged in a hardcover book with a reinforced binding, Liam's trials, mishaps, and triumphs will speak to young readers who are making the transition to chapter books.

Commended for Best Books for Kids & Teens selection 2017 (Canada)

“Waiting for Sophie is a great older sibling book for younger school-age kids. Sarah Ellis not only captures the excitement of waiting for a new baby brother or sister, but also gives voice to the little frustrations kids can experience when dealing with a new baby in the house, and the desire to have a playmate their age.”

Waiting for a little sister to be born and then waiting for her to grow up can be trying, but it eventually has its rewards...[A] down-to-earth, sweet but never mushy story. The accompanying illustrations have a simple, gentle quality that neatly matches the story. The hand-printing-style type used for the text also complements the story and is easy for readers entering the world of early chapter books to decode. Warmth and quiet humor capture the realities of a new baby in the house. Kirkus Reviews Sarah Ellis tells another timeless story with beautifully chosen text and Carmen Mok matches the tone of the story perfectly with gentle images and soft colors. Sal's Fiction Addiction Mom Read It Ellis' trademark wry humour comes into play almost immediately...Carmen Mok, who has many picturebook and magazine credits to her name, has graced the pages with some charming digitally-created art with the look of watercolours...Waiting for Sophie is a fine addition to library collections, especially those requiring more easy novels with contemporary themes. Highly Recommended. CM Magazine Sarah Ellis gives Liam a voice that is so filled with hope about his new sister and the promise of having a familial playmate that even his frustrations are natural and unfeigned...And, although Waiting for Sophie is an early reader, rather than a picture book, the illustrations by Carmen Mok augment Sarah Ellis' story with the innocence and family that the author's words already convey. Young children being challenged to read their first chapter books will appreciate this early reader as it will undoubtedly speak to them. CanLit for LittleCanadians [A] beautifully written chapter book about the relationship between Liam and his new baby sister Sophie...Young Liam is an appealing character who loves his little sister, but definitely wants her to grow up quickly...Throughout the story, Liam learns how to love his sister, but more importantly, learns how to be more patient with her. The illustrations are colourful and filled with lots of detail which adds to the narrative...This is a gentle story which will definitely appeal to young readers with siblings, as well as the adults who care for them! Resource Links [A] sweet and relatable story... Publishers Weekly [A] sweet story that will help youngsters understand the process of becoming an older sibling and how much patience is needed. City Book Review

Sarah Ellis has written more than twenty novels and picture books for young readers. Her many honors include the Governor General's Award, the Mr. Christie Book Award, the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Book Prize, and the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for a body of work. Written from her insightful memories of her own childhood and keen observations of the world around her, Ellis' stories masterfully reflect her readers' own experiences. She lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. Carmen Mok is an illustrator who received her formal training from the University of Waterloo and Sheridan College. Her previous book publications include Here Babies, There Babies, Look at Me Now, and Ride the Big Machines in Winter. Numerous magazines, including Today's Parent and Owl Kids, have also published her work. Carmen lives in Niagara Region, Ontario.

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