John's Pictures

MacDonald's concept, at once simple and sophisticated, is imaginatively brought to life by McTaggart's quaint illustrations. With his new colored pencils, John draws a house with a man standing in front of it. When John leaves his art to have supper, the man picks up one of the pencils and draws himself a wife. She in turn draws a son and daughter, and the whole family helps to sketch an inviting backyard--complete with pets. In a newly drawn car, the four ride into town to buy food and hurry home to eat dinner--after which the boy draws himself a second helping of ice cream. Just as the man thinks how bare the front of his new home looks, John returns to his picture and decides to add a lush garden. This somewhat lackluster tale does not measure up to the classic in this genre, Harold and the Purple Crayon. Ages 3-8. (Feb.)