cover image Johnny, Jinny and Mo

Johnny, Jinny and Mo

Doreen Roberts. Oxford University Press, USA, $11.95 (32pp) ISBN 978-0-19-520605-0

A British import depicts one year in the life of a rather average middle-class family. Johnny and Jinny are twins; Mo is their younger sister. In the winter the family goes sledding and builds snowpeople; in the spring they fly kites and pick flowers. Summer brings camping trips and forays to the beach; autumn means apple-picking and trick-or-treating. ""That is how we spent our year. How did you spend yours?'' A predictable and homey account of a family's year, this is best for smaller children, who relish this kind of quotidian detail. The watercolors eloquently portray the passing of time in shifting landscapes and colors. But the targeted age group probably will crave more challenging fare. Ages 4-7. (October)