I love that the older brother isn't a bully, but simply doesn't realize how bossy he is. I love the ending. I love how the story reminds me of the marvelous picture books by [a:Kevin Henkes|193|Kevin Henkes|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1257746190p2/193.jpg]. And I especially love finding the cat in every scene (except of course the orchard and beach, as mosst cats don't travel well & so the family would have left it home). ( )

I love this book. It tells the story of Marvin and his little brother Henry who desperately wants to be big like him so he can do all the things Marvin can do. Actually, he wants to be bigger, much bigger, so that he can do things his brother can't. So Henry tries to stretch himself, water himself, and when those don't work he eats so many apples that he makes himself sick. When his parents ask him why he ate so many apples he tells them it was because he wants to grow to be big enough to swim to the dock with his brother and friends. Then they let him in on a little secret... When Marvin was his age, he was the same size and couldn't do the things he can do now.
Another great book by Steven Kellogg with fun and whimsical pictures. It talks about the feeling every child has to want so desperately to grow up as fast as possible, but also that growing up takes time and we should enjoy being who we are now. ( )

A younger brother hates it when because of his size he is relegated to certain roles when he and his brother and when his brother gets the biggest piece of cake and when his brother and friends laugh because he can't get the basketball in the high hoop. He tries to stretch himself and water himself -- and then remembers that Grandpa once said apples make you grow. So he eats a whole bag and just feels ill, but when he explains to his parents what he was trying to do -- and why -- they explain that Martin was the same size when he was his age. The father and Martin then put up a lower basketball hoop -- but the boy comes up with his own solution -- stilts! ( )