Hello Peanut by Rachel Anderson (2003, Paperback)

This clever, wonderfully illustrated book uses playful repetition to introduce an adorable toddler to the idea of a new baby joining the family. My 19-month-old loved this book so much that we renewed it 3 times from the library. When he started quoting the book at random throughout the day, I knew I had to just buy it. The colorful illustrations reveal a progressively bigger belly on the "mum" (there's other British jargon here, too, which is cute), as the toddler keeps asking "How big is the baby?" As the baby grows from dot to peanut to tadpole on up to elephant, the pictures show family time with a well-loved toddler who will continue to get love and attention once the baby is born. This book does an excellent job enforcing the idea of a growing family where what changes (the arrival new baby) is less important than what stays the same (love and family time together). By the end of the book, the toddler lovingly holds the new baby, saying "welcome to my world" - very cute. I highly recommend this book if, like me, you agree that toddler rivalry can be largely avoided with the right attitude and plenty of loving attention.