BOOKS: Industrious brother, sister find success in winter lemonade

• 'Lemonade in Winter'

“Lemonade in Winter” tells the story of Pauline and her little bother, John John, and their foray into the business world with a lemonade stand. (Submitted photo)

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When the cold wind blows, most people think of hot chocolate. Not Pauline and her little brother, John John. In the middle of winter, they set up a lemonade stand.

“Lemonade in Winter,” by Emily Jenkins, is the story of an industrious sister-brother duo. They find quarters in piggy banks and under couch cushions, buy supplies at the store and set up their lemonade stand.

Of course, there are challenges. Their parents don’t believe the stand will be successful. John John drinks the first glass. The street remains empty.

But eventually, passers-by stop to buy the cool drinks for 50 cents each. When business slows, Pauline tries new techniques, even attracting a last-minute rush from the manicurists across the street.

Finally, the pitchers are empty and the green plastic box is full of quarters. Hooray, right? Not really. Pauline is sad when she realizes that she hasn’t made any money. But with John John’s common sense optimism, the book concludes with a happy ending.

“Lemonade in Winter” bounces with poetic rhythm. When the kids advertise, they chant: “Lemon lemon LIME,/ lemon LIMEADE!/ Lemon lemon LIME,/ lemon LEMONADE!” Meanwhile, the “villain” (the empty street) returns with threatening repetition.

“Lemonade in Winter” is also a book about counting money. Throughout the story, Pauline helps John John count quarters to show what they are buying and earning.

Within the story, illustrator G. Brian Karas shows the corresponding stacks of quarters.

However, Karas is at his best when he uses his cartoon-like style to illustrate the optimistic determination of the siblings.

He also splashes yellow on almost every page, using the lemonade’s color to brighten the bleak winter day.

Karas has illustrated more than 90 books, including “Muncha Muncha Muncha,” by Candace Fleming and most recently, “Neville,” by Nortan Juster. Author Emily Jenkins is also prolific, best known for her trilogy of “Toys” novels.

“Lemonade in Winter.” By Emily Jenkins. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Schwartz & Wade, 2012. 40 pp.

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