BRENDAN AND BELINDA AND THE SLAM DUNK!

Twins Brendan and Belinda Porker like basketball, but their father loves it. On Friday nights, they play with the Jump Shot Juniors. On Saturdays, they play with the All-Hoops Parents and Kids League. On Sundays, they practice, and every night they go over plays with their father. After a big snow, Brendan and Belinda want to play with their friends; Mr. Porker wants to leave early for practice to make sure they aren’t late. When the kids begin to cry, he sees it might not be necessary for them to live and breathe basketball even if they want to be superstars in the future. Rockwell and Meisel team up again for this short sports story that seems aimed more at pushy parents than their sporty offspring. The facile resolution and meaningless title don’t diminish the importance of the message, and Meisel’s wide-eyed animal people are as engagingly fun as ever. (Picture book. 4-6)