Kids into books: Three's a Crowd

Author: Penelope Huber

Illustrator: Ana Terry

Publisher: Longacre $14.95

Age Group: 11+ years

We left the town for green paddocks, with the evening sun on them like melted butter. 'You got plans, Polly?' Mr Grant asked.

'Christmas money. Remember you said two hundred dollars if I painted the cottage? And Mum said I can sell oranges.'

'So, you go away a free spirit and come back a little capitalist?'

'Dad, that's just the business part. The rest is seeing everything and Sylvie again... you know... the boat race... just being home.' As an afterthought she added, 'And showing Anna stuff.'

'Missed the farm, eh? And the hills?'

'You bet. The Wanaka mountains were cool but they weren't the same.'

Polly had spent a week in winter with my family at a rented house where we'd biked by the lake and had a day's skiing. I guessed it was a tame holiday by Polly's standards.

'But I did not appreciate the other holiday week with the cousins. They're a bunch of louts.'

'Not like you and Gus, eh? Benevolent, peaceable, loving at all times.'

'Sure. Mostly. Now and then.'

'Have you met our Angus yet, Anna? Do third formers at Girls' High get to mingle with fifth formers at Boys'? Silly question. I don't suppose you could stop them.'