The Gate of Dreams

This trio of original fairy tales features a stock cast in stock situations. But the prose is, if not quite purple, solidly lavender: ``Her true colors were as inscrutable as a chameleon's. But at her heart of hearts she secreted the green of envy, the yellow of spleen.'' A maker of animated films, Moats redeems herself somewhat with her artwork, especially her fine black-and-white silhouettes, which convey an impressive range of emotion and lend the tales a timeless quality. The full-color oval portraits that frame each tale, however, seem dated. Moats would do well to take a cue from her own crisp silhouettes: she is at her best when she strives for simplicity, not ornamentation. All ages. (Sept.)