Hemi's Pet: Joan de Hamel

This picture book, imported from New Zealand, blends a sweet, simple story and rather stark illustrations. The story is about a boy, Hemi, who decides to enter his sister Rata in his school's pet show. When the other kids protest, Hemi argues, ""She's alive and I love her and look after her, so she's my pet.'' Rata wins the prize for most original pet. With remarkable clarity and realism, the pictures depict the austere world of the children's home and the one-room schoolhouse they attend. These masterful works portray the moments when Hemi must defend Rata's right to qualify for the show; his arguments are irrefutable and reveal that love and logic are sometimes inseparable. Ages 4-8. (April)