Sun Is Falling, Night Is Calling

In spare, gently cadenced verse, newcomer Leuck beckons readers into the soothing rituals of nighttime. ``Day is done, / the sun is falling. / Mama says, / `The night is calling.' / Dusk's around us, / night is near. / Mama says, / `Come snuggle here.' '' A mother rabbit guides her young charge to bed across familiar, universal territory: a story, a song, a teddy bear, a peeping moon, a wish for sweet dreams. Much like the comforting sequences of the bedtime genre classic Goodnight Moon , the simple catalogue of events and items is easily memorized and predicted. Eitan's ( No Milk! ) charming yet subtly sophisticated artwork enhances the book's appeal, and guards it from the cuteness that plagues many of its kin. Vibrant swaths of color blanket each page, accentuated by the bright white of the rabbits' fur. A skillfully applied thin red line adds strokes of detail and definition. The pastel blue sky deepens into rich greens and slates as night approaches. Tired readers may want to snuggle right in, too. Ages 2-5. (Apr.)