Eugene's Story

The middle child who played a minor role in Princess Bun Bun and Bun Bun's Birthday gets top billing in Eugene's Story by Richard Scrimger, illus. by Gillian Johnson. Echoing Scrimger's sly use of language, Johnson's delicate but effervescent pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations sharply contrast Eugene's fantasy scenes-like walking his dog blissfully alone-with his big sister's bubble-bursting insistence upon reality (""What? But we don't have a dog!""). Younger siblings (and especially middle children) should find this a safe and empowering outlet for their own occasional fratricidal musings.