Little Philippe of Belgium

"Little Philippe of Belgium" by Madeline Brandeis is an early 20th-century children's story about a Belgian boy named Philippe, nicknamed "Petit Choux de Bruxelles", figuring out what he wants in a post-World War I world. It highlights big ideas like childhood hopes, family connections, and how war changes people's lives. Philippe, a five-year-old living on a farm near Brussels, really wants a baby sister and dreams of being a great cook like his dad. We see his imaginative world and what he hopes for as the story starts. When Philippe finds out his mother is pregnant, he gets super excited, and this excitement moves the story forward as he plays, talks to animals, and imagines big adventures, and the story shows how he grows up and learns about the real world outside his farm.