The Stories Huey Tells

Julian first introduced himself and his loving African American family in Stories Julian Tells (Pantheon, 1981). Here, his younger brother, Huey, picks up the narrative as he describes important events in his life. Throughout these five interconnected stories Huey shines through as a creative and resourceful child who expresses the concerns and feelings of a fairly typical six year old. However, while this new collection addresses childhood concerns with charm and insight, it does not exhibit the same verve, lively humor, and poetic language evident in the first book about Julian. Much of the vivacity in that title emanated from Dad, whose flamboyant character, sensitivity to his children, and sense of humor provided a kind of balance to childhood preoccupations. Here, Cameron focuses almost exclusively on developing Huey's character, which he expresses freely within the bounds set by caring but vaguely defined adults. The format follows that of the earlier books but with less success. Smith's wooden faces in her black-and-white drawings and her static, unimaginative design fail to enliven the text. Nonetheless, youngsters just moving into chapter books may find the oversized print and short selections appealing, and they're sure to relate to Huey's experiences.?