Though they do have their moments, I’m extremely grateful that our two children have a very close friendship. Even at ages 3 and 5, they are inseparable and play so well together.

Their play is not one-sided: Our daughter plays cars and castles with our son, and our son plays dollhouse and dress-up with our daughter. Being so close in age, they enjoy each other’s company so much.

My husband and I are sure to praise them when they exhibit compassion or love toward one another, and we’re always looking for more ways to strengthen the bond that they already share.

One of our favorite books to read together, a book that celebrates siblings and the special relationship between them, is What Sisters Do Best/What Brothers Do Best. That’s right — it’s two books in one! Once you finish reading one story, just flip the book over and upside down to read the other! It’s the cutest concept, and the kids love the “flipping” part — it’s like magic!

What Sisters Do Best/What Brothers Do Best is written by Laura Numeroff, the celebrated author of the popular “If You Give A….” books for children. In this book, she pairs with illustrator Lynn Munsinger, with whom she also worked when she penned What Mommies Do Best/What Daddies Do Best!

Here is a snippet of Laura Numeroff telling about some of her own cherished family memories:

Each side of the book shows different animal sibling pairs….from pandas to koalas to pigs….playing together and helping each other. A fun book to read, but with a special message to share, as well.

You can purchase What Sisters Do Best/What Brothers Do Best for $15.99 from Chronicle Books directly….or look for it next time you browse the children’s book section of your local book retailer.

And enjoy!