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Kevin Henkes

 Do we need another novel about baby siblings? Maybe not--but if that's the terrain Kevin Henkes wants to explore, I'm ready to go.


Henkes's new book, "Oh Sal," opens with a little girl who is irritated. She can't tolerate the presence of the new baby, and it especially bugs her that that baby doesn't have a name. ("Get with it; make a choice, Mom." Sal wanted the name "Spritz"--after her favorite cookie--but her mother laughed at the suggestion. Derisive laughter! Annoying!)

To complicate matters, Sal's obnoxious uncle arrives for a visit. This guy calls Sal "Salamander," although she has indicated her distaste for the nickname. Also, he doesn't have a present. When Sal asks about this, he rolls his eyes and says, "My ARRIVAL is the present!"

Finally, Sal's favorite new undies are missing; they have images of poppies, along with the word "Poppy." They were a gift from Santa, not from Mom or Dad, so they are not easily replaced. You can't ask Santa to make an "emergency run" in mid-January.

Still, life has comforts. Sal is allowed to crumble one Spritz cookie over her cereal in the morning, and if she is particularly weepy, her mother holds her like an infant, and she can make little baby noises.

I just feel like I'm reading about my own life here. Henkes--named a "genius" in the NYTimes--seems to be far, far from drying up. This is the third "Miller family" novel, and I hope we'll have many more.
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