Night Goes by

Spohn's (Broken Umbrellas; Fanny and Margarita) appealing paintings of Sun, Moon and Star outshine her pedestrian text in this slight book about sunset and sunrise. Sun is pictured as part balloon, part happy face, but, like the other characters, he has toddler-like habits. After Sun ``is on all day with no nap,'' he feels ``happy to see Moon, who is just glowing awake''; Sun calls out, ""`Good night,'... to Moon before falling asleep.'' Cobalt-blue Star, in a diaphanous tutu, wakes up: ``She stretches until she is feeling perky. She visits her friend Moon. Moon is happy to see Star.'' As ghostly clouds wave to them, Moon and Star laugh and dance all night. Spohn's oils evoke kindergarten chalk-drawings as she varies the colors in the background sky and surrounds the gray moon with a creamy glow. Although readers may enjoy the conceit of Star turning cartwheels and Sun sinking ``with sleepiness,'' the story doesn't match the sweet charm of the simple illustrations. Ages 1-6. (Apr.)