A familiar problem with a nice twist in its resolution: Maxine's parents seem oblivious to the needs of their middle child, not only dressing her in older sister Rosalie's hand-medowns but denying her her own box of crayons: Rosalie gets one for herself, but Maxine has to share with little Sammy. When she's the only one who doesn't get a drumstick on Christmas, it's the last straw: like Steig's Spinky, she retires to the yard. Then it's Rosalie and Sammy who discover how much they miss her, cajole her back in, and make her feel treasured after all--while Mama serves ""doughnut holes and peanut butter and jelly without bread"" to prove how nice middle things can be. Keller's spare, stylized pictures of this rabbit family are as warmly satisfying as her simple text.