Louise is Jake’s little sister, and she is irrepressible. She dances into his room, plays with his toys, bounces on his bed, and never stops talking. As drawn by Marie-Louise Gay, winner of two Governor General’s and many other awards, Louise is always in cheerful, colourful motion, determined to stick with Jake even though he decides to leave home, change his name, wear a disguise – anything at all, in order to get away from Louise. This charming picture book eventually finds a satisfying solution for both Jake and Louise, affirming (without actually stating) their fondness for each other along with their need to be independent.

Prolific Toronto author Frieda Wishinsky presents a common family problem with humorous, understated dialogue. The two children are characterized with words that are few in number but effective: the long-suffering Jake still remembers to say “please,” while Louise always has a comeback line to anything he says.

Gay’s Louise is full of joie de vivre, her antics offsetting Jake’s gloom – until his release at the end of the story, when he turns a cartwheel worthy of his sister. Despite their free-spirited, casual air, Gay’s pictures contain a lot of detail, such as all the stuff in Jake’s room – stamps, chess set, homework, swimming fins – which helps to ground the book in everyday reality. Warm-hearted and funny, this is a very fine picture book, with a great match between illustration and text.