A High, Low, Near, Far, Loud, Quiet Story

A lively brother-and-sister team (accompanied by Mom) demonstrates the literal ups and downs of a typical day in this well-executed photo-essay about opposites. On a sunny afternoon, the kids run fast and walk slow on the way to the park, romp with a large dog and observe a small ant, splash in a wet sprinkler, then snuggle in dry towels and so on, until they finally settle into bed at night. Crews (You Are Here) is highly skilled at seeing through her photographic lens with the eyes of a child. In the sharp playground shots here, the two children clearly find joy and fascination in their everyday play--and express these reactions in a completely natural way, as if no photographer were among them. The jacket image, featuring a preschooler making a rough--but gleeful--landing from a slide, sets the tone for the fun inside. Ages 4-up. (Oct.)