Heartwarming and Evocative: Read Our Review of When You’re Older by Sofie Laguna, illustrated by Judy Watson

An exquisitely illustrated and deeply joyful celebration of the bond between brothers. Join them as they explore the far reaches of this wild and amazing world, side by side every step of the way.

Sofie Laguna is a highly acclaimed, award-winning author whose books have continued to be loved by children and adults across the globe. Beautiful, warm and evocative, this stunning picture book reveals an older brother’s hopes for the amazing experiences he will share with his new baby brother – when he’s older.

When You’re Older is a triumph of illustration and storytelling. It encapsulates the true and unique bond between siblings. You’ll catch a glimpse of this from the gorgeously illustrated hard cover, seeing a playful big brother and his little brother staring innocently yet longingly at each other.

Illustrator Judy Watson works with a combination of digital and traditional methods to make art that explores colour, light and our connection with nature. Watson uses these same methods in When You’re Older to create a vivid story that captures both reality and imagination, mimicking the ever-changing thoughts of a child.

The story felt genuine and reminiscent of how a child’s vision can run wild. What starts off with the older brother’s hope to one day ride a bike with his baby brother turns into an imaginative adventure across the globe in a wooden boat, the two of them together the whole way through.

The big brother’s grand imagination shows the impatient nature of a child – and what a sweet form of impatience this is – while also showing the abundance of love an older sibling can have for their younger sibling, vowing to be with them every step of the way, through every walk of life.

As a middle child, I could relate to both brothers’ feelings of anticipation: wanting to grow up and explore with my older sister, while also waiting for my younger sister to become old enough to join the fun. This is a story perfect for young readers aged 4+ to help them explore their imagination and cherish their siblings.

Buy a copy of When You’re Older here.