Didi and Daddy on the Promenade

Singer (On the Same Day in March) sets her upbeat tale on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, a walkway that borders the East River and offers a prime view of the lower Manhattan skyline. On a Sunday morning, frisky Didi and her (possibly single) father take in the sights and sounds of the bustling Promenade, ""the best place on earth."" They variously pretend to be trucks and boats, dance to the music of street musicians and romp in a playground with another dad and daughter. The author sticks to brief phrases, as when the duo spots pets: "" `Puppy!' says Didi. `Little yellow puppy.' `Dog!' says Daddy. `Big black dog.' "" Gay's (Stella, Star of the Sea) animated, inventively detailed watercolor and pen-and-ink pictures capture Didi's effervescence and introduce an entertaining supporting cast in the other spirited visitors to the Promenade. And kids familiar with the book's locale will enjoy identifying such landmarks as the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and the World Trade Center towers. Ages 2-5. (Mar.)