Sun Song

Radiant large-scale, exactly detailed paintings light up this often bland poem. Marzollo, the author of the I Spy series, summons the sun to shine down on a host of living things: ""Sun, light the woods/ With a soft spring dawn;/ Shine on the spots/ Of a newborn fawn."" After the sun awakens a sleeping boy and his puppy, the latter is seen investigating blooming flowers and vegetables from the garden, all nourished by the sun. A new order is issued at sunset (""Sun, be wild./ Sun, be bold./ Paint skies pink/ And purple and gold""), whereupon the sky darkens and the pup and child curl up in bed until ""a brand-new dawn"" arrives. The gentle rhythm and sing-song quality make this verse a good bedtime book for beginning readers. Regan's (Welcome to the Green House) art features a soothing, pastel-dominated palette-and introduces a downright adorable puppy. In a move likely to intrigue observant readers, none but the cover picture depicts the sun itself. Ages 4-8. (May)