The Jean Little Collection

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is the
author of several books, including The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese
Women’s Lives, Kurlek and Margaret Laurence: T

The three classic stories in this collection will appeal to children of
all ages. Credible characters, challenging situations, and well-realized
backgrounds make for page-turning excitement.

In “Different Dragons,” young Ben is sent for a weekend to stay
with his Aunt Rose while his family goes away. He arrives on his
birthday, and to his horror his gift is a rambunctious Labrador puppy, a
gentle giant who terrifies the highly strung boy. The girl next door,
who loves dogs, seems to be another problem. Before the weekend is over,
however, the pair have discovered a secret room in the old house, and
Ben’s fear of dogs has been vanquished.

Janie Chisholm sometimes tells lies that get her into trouble. One day
she meets Lisa and wants her as a friend, but Lisa tells lies, too, and
her lies hurt. “One to Grow On” is a beautifully crafted story of
teen angst, friendship, rivalry, and a gradual growth to maturity. The
double setting—a large family house in a small town, and a little
island in the Muskokas—is especially effective.

In “Lost and Found,” young Lucy has just moved to a new town and is
feeling lonely. Her first friend is a little stray dog that she
encounters and names Trouble. Although her parents allow her to keep the
little dog, she must try to find its owner. Before long, Lucy has made
another new friend, Nan, who loves to solve mysteries, and together they
search for Trouble’s owners.

Little is a master writer of children’s literature. Her characters
are convincing, as are their conflicts. A firm substrata of morality
underlies the events as her characters grow and develop. This lively
collection is vintage Little, and a delight. Highly recommended.