Maggie Doesn't Want to Move

There is much reassurance in this humorous, unforced tale. ""My sister, Maggie, doesn't want to move,'' the young narrator, Simon, explains. The text, wisely, never spells out that it is Simon, not Maggie, who is apprehensive. But Simon soon finds things to like about their new home. Maggie, he decides, will be happy here after all. Told with a fresh approach, this ably makes the point that change isn't all bad, and that new things come along in place of the old. The first-person narrative captures Simon's fears and his reluctance to admit to them without a shred of sentimentality. Schwartz's expressive, richly textured illustrations take up where the text leaves off, showing Maggie's blithe unconcern while Simon protests on her behalf. Ages 5-8. (September)