Julius, the Baby of the World

Julius, the Baby of the World is one of the many titles in Henkes’ mouse books. In this story, Lilly’s mother has just given birth to a baby boy upon whom the parents dote. Being forced to share the spot light, Lilly is terribly jealous and does everything in her power to be disagreeable. Thwarting all of her parents’ attempts to win her over, Lilly continues to spite baby Julius until he comes under criticism from Cousin Garland at which point Lilly proves that she understands the significance of the old adage that "a house divided against itself cannot stand." Henkes employs watercolor and ink to render an expressive Lilly who runs the gamut from hateful to loving and conveys her emotions through effusive eyes and a bristling tail that complement and extend the text. At the secondary level, Julius, the Baby of the World could serve as an easily accessible exemplar of dynamic characterization and the characteristics of the hero cycle explained by Peter R. Stillman in Introduction to Myth.

Julius, the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes; illus. by the author
Primary Greenwillow Books
28 pp.
Published 1990
ISBN 978-1-5911-2518-1
$25.95

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