RAIN AND SHINE

By the British author of From Me to You (p. 127/C-19), eight brief stories about Ned (7), Nina (4(apple)), and Joshy (2). Living in the country, the three are expert at entertaining themselves and each other. As pirates, they lose their buried treasure (Joshy has it); they make pies (Joshy's have a most unusual ingredient); and Joshy wins the prize for the scariest Halloween costume, although he came as himself. Each mini adventure is grounded in everyday reality--even the last, when Nina meets a new friend who is probably imaginary; each ends with an amusing twist. Rogers' simple prose is at his protagonists' level. Although Joshy is the most memorable and fully drawn, his siblings also get their innings. While predictable, the stories maintain interest and are told with grace, though the editing for American readers sometimes jars. Good but not outstanding. Illustrations not seen.