Two and Too Much

Walter and Cummings, winners of Coretta Scott King Awards for fiction and illustration, respectively, both bring considerable talent to this gentle story of a seven-year-old boy and his mischievous two-year-old sister. Brandon agrees to take care of Gina while Mama cleans the house for company. In no time at all, he begins to wish he had decided to go out and play with his friends instead. Gina answers ``no'' to all his suggestions, gets into Mama's makeup, makes a mess of Brandon's room and pours milk into the jelly jar at lunch. Finally, to Brandon's horror, Gina disappears altogether. With Mama's help, he discovers his sister on her bedroom floor--sleeping like an angel. With its vibrant paintings and reassuringly realistic text, this is a book that will appeal to several age groups: younger children will find Gina's antics most amusing, while those closer to Brandon's age who must put up with younger siblings will identify with his frustrations. Ages 4-7. (Mar.)