Sing Me a Window

Like the song from The Sound of Music extolling rain-splattered roses and bewhiskered kittens, this poem-cum-lullaby is also a celebration of favorite things, from fat brown teddy bears to puddle-stomping with Dad to a steaming pot of cocoa. As a father readies his daughter for bed, she asks him to ``Sing me a night song, / a soft song, / a dream song''--a song whose refrain recounts the activities of their busy day. Sweet's delicately shaded watercolors alternate indoor vignettes, set against hushed borders that celebrate nature's bounty, with sweet outdoor scenes depicting the father-daughter interaction. Just as the pictures exude warmth and affection, so O'Donnell's poetry is music to the ears. Her lilting verses, begging to be read aloud, spin a tale of a leisurely day spent sailing a boat at the park, climbing trees, collecting the bright leaves of fall and watching ``geese making vees near the moon.'' For bedtime or wind-down time, this tranquil book casts a spell sure to enchant both preschoolers and their parents. Ages 3-up. (Mar.)