Janey's Summer

Not having read Janey's Diary, the previous collection of entries from this enjoyable character's journal, I began this book with some apprehension -- well, how would you react to 'Rainbow, muesli-eating, mantra-chanting chalet-mate': I gloomily anticipated yet another 'teenage-romance-on-holiday' package with Janey as a Robin hostess (and Rainbow's chalet-mate) at Robinson's Holiday Camp. I was, however, pleasantly surprised -- and relieved -- to discover that the book contained a good helping of wry humour, directed (through Janey's diary) at herself and the familiar antics of holiday makers and fellow Robins. Paul Dowling's occasional line drawings have a quiet charm and comment wittily on the action, too. Yes, there is romance but it stumbles and splutters so realistically that I winced sympathetically on several occasions. Despite the fairly dreadful cover, I'd offer it confidently to second or third-year girls with uncomplicated senses of humour suffering from a surfeit of the type of romantic fiction currently so freely of offer.