Sleepy River

Every child loves to stay up past bedtime, and youngest readers are in for a treat when they join a Native American woman and her son for a magical twilight canoe trip. The wonders of the great outdoors are plenteous: along the way mother and son see ducks, heron, deer, fireflies, bats--even a shooting star. The story comes full circle as the pair heads for home, the boy sound asleep. Bandes's text is lusciously alliterative, as each bend in the river reveals not only a new scene but also read-aloud delights: ``Stately sycamores solemnly stand, silhouettes on a scarlet sky.'' As always, Winter's distinctive visual style is stunning--her postmodern primitive artwork is rendered in opulent shades of teal, plum, and aquamarine that make the outing as much of a confection for the eye as it is for the ear. Ages 4-up. (Sept.)