When Rosie is born, Caillou is happy at first. Then, seeing all the attention given to the baby, he feels neglected. Caillou behaves like a baby again until he realizes that being a big boy has its own advantages. The arrival of a newborn in the family comes as a shock to an older child who has had no rivals so far. The older child feels neglected. It is important to let him express his feelings of resentment and jealousy. Scolding will only lead to a loss of self-esteem. Baby Sister reflects the conflicting emotions older children experience when a sibling is born. Caillou watches as all the adults in his life admire this unformed, insignificant infant that is his sister. Rosie really cannot do anything: she cannot talk, walk, or play. Since adults seem to find the baby so fascinating, the older child sees no point in being a big boy: “Caillou wishes he were little like Rosie.” Being little, after all, is easier. Caillou regresses. “He wets the bed. He asks his mother to rock him. He wants his bottle.” The scene in which Caillou bites Rosie reflects Caillou’s feelings of intense happiness toward this new arrival. This scene, a common occurrence in reality, illustrates the particular way children choose to display their happiness. Children experience life first through their mouth: milk from their mother’s breasts sustains them. For a very young child, biting is a way of claiming possession. Caillou “wants his sister.” This story is not meant to condone children biting. The purpose is to explain the older child’s behavior. Daddy does not punish Caillou for biting. Instead, he helps him understand that, in this case, biting serves no purpose. “You think your sister is so sweet you want to eat her up. But if you do, you will not have her to love. You can bite an apple, but not your sister.”

Joceline Joceline Sanschagrin's profile page

Pierre Pierre Brignaud's profile page

Joceline Sanschagrin is the author of Caillou Helps Mommy and Caillou: Potty Time. Pierre Brignaud is the illustrator of numerous Caillou Titles, including Caillou: Count with Me!, Caillou: Good Night, Caillou: I Will Always Love You, and Caillou: Just Like Daddy. They both live in Montreal, Quebec.