G. P. Putnam's Sons. Emily Just in Time '' features a sleeper-suited ingenue, her lap full of stuffed toys, her heart full of hope. She wants more than anything to spend the night at her grandmother's house, but next we know, Grandma pulls a coat over her comfortable bulk to drive Emily home. All Emily needs is time, and she takes it. But time passes, and she can.
More time passes, and nameless fears disappear.
She snuggles into Grandma's guest bed and stays put, with pleasure. On Mother's Lap,'' uses lots of white space and muted color to depict Emily's transformation. The overall effect is pleasant but lacks energy. Jan Slepian, best known as a novelist, respects Emily and tells her story with compassion. In Grandma's house she creates a cozy nook, and in Grandma an ideal relative.