Waiting for Max A NICU story

Big sister Louise hatches a variety of plans to see her infant brother home from the adults-only NICU in this hopeful family story. Even text and dialogue from Rosen, making a picture book debut, touch on the reality of the hospital stay, emphasizing the wait that the pale-skinned family undergoes until baby Max becomes "big and strong enough" to head home. In unlined renderings that lean into blues and pinks, illustrations by Diana (The First Noel) provide a glimpse of Max's medical surroundings as Louise's parents show the child numerous photos and videos of the baby, which in turn prompt the protagonist's ideas for ways to speed his arrival home. Noticing the feeding tube in Max's nose, big sis creates a drawing of her brother using the tube to escape out a window; hearing the "Beep. Beep. Beep" of hospital monitors inspires artistic visions of the newborn's "little plastic box" as a spaceship. The motivating artwork continues as Max progresses to bottle-feeding, and Louise happily takes the credit when her sibling finally appears in his bassinet--a forward-looking moment that's emblematic of the book's optimistic tone. An author's note concludes. Ages 4--8. (Oct.)

A child concocts schemes to get her new brother home from the hospital. Louise is thrilled to be a big sister! But Max, born six weeks early, must stay in the neonatal intensive care unit until he's stronger. Kids aren't allowed to visit, so Mom and Dad share photos and videos. Still, waiting for Max is hard! Then, Louise gets an idea: She'll draw Max some hospital escape plans, which her parents can deliver. Alas, Max neither uses his feeding tube to swing out of the hospital window nor blasts off in his incubator--which, with its beeping monitors measuring Max's heart rate and breathing,must be a spaceship that Max just doesn't know how to fly. But once Max can drink from a bottle, Louise's next drawing does the trick: Max, strengthened by lots of milk, finally comes home. Louise runs jubilantly to Max's room, which is decorated with her drawings, including her final depiction of Max as "SUPER MILK BABY," surrounded by bottles. Telling Max they'll visit space together, Louise promises, "Don't worry--I'll teach you how to fly the spaceship." Relying on straightforward text laden with humorous kid logic, Rosen, the mother of a premature baby herself, reassures readers in situations like Louise's that their siblings are also "worth the wait." Diana's bright, cozy cartoon illustrations sweetly emphasize Louise's love for Max. Louise and her family have tan skin. Heartwarming. (author's note)(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.