How the Sky's Housekeeper Wore Her Scarves

When the sky's housekeeper neglects her duties, only a whirlwind bout of spring cleaning will restore order to the sun, moon, stars, comets and planets. The situation is so urgent that she must go out during a downpour; so that she will later find her way home, she marks her path by draping her colorful scarves across the lackluster sky, and the first rainbow is created. Roth's (How Thunder and Lightning Came to Be, reviewed above) unusually vivid mixed-media collages render the sky's natural beauty with childlike appeal. Shapes, colors and textures of many kinds create visual interest in each picture. Unfortunately, Hooper's (A Bundle of Beasts) plot is belabored and convoluted, arcing off in untidy and overlong tangents. Not even the fanciful notion of a celestial housekeeper nor Roth's illustrations can keep the shine on this offering. Ages 4-8. (Apr.)