I See the Moon

A favorite nursery rhyme becomes a testament of God's love in this picture-book adaptation. While imagining she is adrift at sea, a girl recognizes the presence of God in the stars that show her a path, the wind that fills her sail and the dove who leads her to shore. By book's end, she is confident that ""It's God who is with me wherever I go."" Appelt's (Bayou Lullaby) simple verse scans well, though some of her rhymes seem a bit forced (e.g., ""craft/path"" and ""rest/breath""). Young readers may not immediately identify the story as a dream sequence, but the glittery outlined artwork featuring a sun and moon with facial features and a toddler sailing a boat solo helps sustain an element of fantasy. Jenkins's mottled pastels occasionally overwhelm with their combination of colors and unfortunately serve as a muddy background for the text. Ages 3-8. (Mar.)