Caribbean Dream

Isadora's (A South African Night) simple, rhythmic paean to the Caribbean opens at the start of a day: ""Where morning meets light, we rise."" Echoing this phrasing, the author spotlights some typical island activities: her child protagonists take a dip at water's edge (""Where waves meet sand, we swim""), walk in the country (""Where wind meets hill, we run""), visit an elderly woman who evidently has tales to share (""Where years meet story, we see"") and gaze upon a sunset (""Where darkness meets night, we dream. We dream""). The conclusion, as well as the calming cadence throughout, lends this tale to a bedtime read-aloud. Some of Isadora's language may seem ambiguous (""Where sound meets color, we hide,"" for example, describes some children's experience in the marketplace), but her inviting watercolor paintings offer a vivid interpretation. Her children pose as if for a camera, with friendly grins; her paintings take in sultry beaches, bright colored houses, tidy white-washed buildings. The imagistic text and the realistic art reinforce each other's strengths. Ages 3-8. (Oct.)