Dream Meadow

Without once mentioning the word ``death,'' Griffith manages to address the subject deftly in this subtle picture book. An old lady and her elderly pet sit together, each dreaming of being young again and frolicking in sunny meadows. Something pulls them out of their reveries, returning the one to her rocking chair, the other to her spot on the floor nearby. One day they don't come back, but meet in the meadow and together ``run straight up into the sky.'' There's a wonderful sense of freedom and release in the scenario that Griffith delineates, and for those who agree with her conclusions about death, this could be a very comforting, even inspiring, book. First-time illustrator Barnet's colored-pencil drawings are filled with light; their misty, underdone approach helps underscore the dream metaphor. Ages 5-up. (Apr.)