An adorable book about sibling rivalry, how bigger isn't always better, and feeling left out. Glad Liam could carve a space out for himself!

Liam feels left out by his older twin brothers Lester and Lister. The twins compete for everything and have no time for Liam. But Liam is resourceful. As the twins compete over who has the best lemonade stand, Liam does odd jobs around the neighborhood and saves his money. With that saved money, Liam makes his move and surprises his brothers at just the right moment.

Liam Takes a Stand is a fun book that siblings will identify with. The humorous story is also filled with some basic financial principles and examples of strategic thinking.

I am conflicted about this book. There are some parts that I really loved, and other parts that just didn't work for me. Two older twin brothers, Lister and Lester, are highly competitive. They are so busy trying to outdo each other in everything, that their younger brother, Liam, who just wants to play with them, is ignored. One summer, the twins compete to see who can raise the most money in a lemonade stand. Neither will let Liam help, so he does odd jobs in the neighbourhood to show them what a good worker he is. The twins, in their efforts to outdo each other, go deep into debt to their parents. Liam meanwhile, continues along saving up cash for his own eventual venture into business.
I liked Josh Holinaty's illustrations a lot. He captures the insanity of the older brothers outrageous schemes perfectly.
I appreciate that this book encourages kids to think like entrepreneurs and see that this is a future option for them. Competition, so long as it is posited within a collaborative framework where the primary goal is to make life better for oneself and community, is a good thing. I think this message of balance and thoughtfulness is there in the story, I'm just not sure most readers will get it.

Brothers Lister and Lester are always competing, and they always leave their little brother Liam out of it. So Liam decides to handle things his own way. This is a really funny book about sibling rivalry that families will enjoy reading together.

Liam Takes a Stand by Troy Wilson is a children's book about family, business, and doing things your own way. Lister and Lester are identical twins who do identical things. But their constant striving to outdo each other means their little brother, Liam, is always left out. When Lester’s Lemonade Universe and Lister’s Lemonade Multiverse open for business, there’s no role for Liam. He does odd jobs around the neighborhood while Lister and Lester’s competition spirals into overdrive and their lemonade stands get increasingly, outrageously out of hand. But then Liam takes a stand with his own business venture, a simple model based on his observations of what not to do, and gives the twins a run for their money.

The story is illustrated with lively cartoon-style art highlighting the hilarious one-upmanship, this is a spirited underdog story about siblings and strategic thinking.


I received this ARC from Owlkids Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While reading this I randomly thought I could see this getting a series. I can see this getting a graphic novel.
I do not know if this is ownvoices which makes me kind of have pause. I liked it for not only being fun but also having a message about being a child who has twin siblings. I think it is about being different and having fun. I enjoyed it and if it becomes a series I would continue it.

Liam Takes a Stand is written by Troy Wilson and illustrated by Josh Holinaty. It is a children's book about family, business, and doing things your own way. Lister and Lester are identical twins who do identical things. But their constant striving to outdo each other means their little brother, Liam, is always left out. When Lester’s Lemonade Universe and Lister’s Lemonade Multiverse open for business, there’s no role for Liam. He does odd jobs around the neighborhood while Lister and Lester’s competition spirals into overdrive and their lemonade stands get increasingly, outrageously out of hand. But then Liam takes a stand with his own business venture — a simple model based on his observations of what not to do — and gives the twins a run for their money. Illustrated with lively cartoon-style art highlighting the hilarious one-upmanship, this is a spirited underdog story about siblings and strategic thinking.

Liam Takes a Stand was a read that entertained while giving some lessons in business and teamwork. All Liam really wants is to spend time with his brothers, but they are too busy competing to pay him any attention. I like that Liam took steps, working hard to earn his own money, in his own way, and plan for the long run rather than chasing the fast dollar like his brothers. I think that the little brother, using sound and fair business practices, out performs his brothers and gets what he wants in the end- not due to trickery but through working hard. While there is a strong sense of teaching a lesson throughout the book, there is a nice balance of story and wonderful illustrations that keep the story from crossing the line that many books intent on teaching something to kids cross. It stayed fun and enjoyable, and never felt like I was being forcefully taught, which often turns me off with strongly thematic writing.

Liam Takes a Stand is a book that would be great for classes or families wanting to teach children about working hard, work ethic, business, and persistence. I think this would be a great introduction to raising money for a cause, or for programs that help get young people started in any form of business.

I thought this book was a great story with adorable illustrations! It will be a hit in the elementary library!

And I thought I was competitive! Nice story, liked it but didn't love it. Would make a good read aloud and discussion about competitiveness and getting your priorities straight.

Lister and Lester are identical twins, who like typical brothers, copy and compete with each other. Their younger brother, Liam, is of course left out and just wants to play. The first day of summer, Lister and Lester open rivaling lemonade stands and spend all of their earnings on gimmicks to appeal to their respective customers. The twins eventually go into debt, even owing their parents money. Although little, Liam is an opportunist and opens a cost efficient, specialty apple juice stand. In exchange for playtime, Liam hires his twin brothers to come work for him to help pay off their debt. Opening a business is tough.

Suitable for kindergarten to third graders, Liam Takes A Stand is a picture book about family and hard work mixed in with a little youth entrepreneurship. Although I am not a huge fan of the disproportionate body parts—big ears, overly skinny legs, too long arms—nor the mismatched colored illustrations, children can enjoy this true to real life story about siblings. At times, the plot is humorous and the outcome realistic—after all, brothers will always compete and play.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Owlkids Books for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I thought that this book was quite fun, easy to follow and had a great ending. The images were bright and attractive and I can see it being thoroughly enjoyed by younger children that have older siblings that are competitive. I loved the underdog "winning" underlying theme of the book.

Imagine that - competitive siblings. I loved seeing the twins get a taste of their own medicine and seeing everyone work everything out in the end - sort of.

Although Liam feels left out by his competitive and successful brothers, his persistence and hard work pay off as he enters their competition and wins. A cute and colorful story about the importance of cooperative play and being a good sport, recommended for group readaloud or individuals.

Liam Takes a Stand is both quirky and endearing. Liam's ingenuity will garner two thumbs up from any of the little people in your life with a precocious, entrepreneurial spirit.

Lister, Lester, and Liam are a pack of brothers who are always competing. But like the story of the three little pigs, it’s the one who takes his time to do things right that gets the job done.

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Liam's older twin brothers are very competitive. The spend all of their time competing with one another that they don't have time to play with Liam. When the twins each open a lemonade stand, Liam wants to help, but they both conclude that he will just be in the way. Liam works hard and eventually opens his won stand and it becomes more successful that his brothers. After some bartering the three brothers come to an agreement that is beneficial to all of them

Twin brothers Lister and Lester spend their whole life competing with one another. When they decide to make some money with a lemonade stand, they play the one-up-manship game to an extreme. When Liam, their little brother wants to spend time with them, he offers to help them for free, but they have no time for him. He goes off and starts to do odd jobs around the neighbourhood where he earns money and apples. After starting his own simple basic apple juice stand, Lister and Lester come begging him to let them help. With the promise that they will play with him, he makes a deal with both brothers. A cute story about competition between siblings, this one taken to an extreme. It also deals with spending time with family members and the desire of younger siblings to spend time with their older siblings. The illustrations are cute and really play up the outlandish ways they brothers compete. A fun way to have a discussion about healthy competition and balancing that with other areas of your life. A good addition to a family or school library.