Mary-Mary Stories
Joan G. Robinson
Hardcover
(Putnam Pub Group, June 15, 1968)
Four older siblings (Miriam, Martyn, Mervyn and Meg) tell the youngest Mary-Mary she is too young or too little to do things--and then she goes ahead and does them. Each of the seven stories begins with a premise which she proceeds to demolish because the don'ts don't convince her: to ""make the morning exciting"" she locks herself in the bathroom, finds the key in time to get out and watch the firemen come to rescue her; makes faces all week to have a nice smile for a photo, and the photo develops with a surprise. The last is my favorite when Mary-Mary suprises us all again in a wedding.