Melinda's No's Cold

Jean Free, a library consultant, is a retired public-school teacher and
librarian in Whitby, Ontario.

Melinda and Cynthia Sweeting are two nearly perfect sisters who, when
they get a cold or the flu, cause a good deal of mischief. Normally they
like to have tea parties with their dolls, to dress up, or to play
house, but when they are ill, they say “no” a good deal and refuse
to co-operate with their mother or their doctor.

Chislett uses homonyms (flew/flu, no/nose, horse/hoarse) and
alternative meanings of chest to add humor to her gentle story.
Desputeaux’s bright, imaginative drawings supplement the story line
well.

This book may have moderate appeal for preschool or primary students,
although a teacher’s reading the book aloud would decrease the
homonyms’ effectiveness. The book could be a useful addition to a
school unit on the family or on emotions, but it would not be a first
choice for most libraries. The poetry at the story’s beginning and end
adds little and is of questionable merit. The author does not reach
Annick’s usual high standards of Canadian literature for young
children.