Children

Nearly 100 photographs, 79 in color, capture the diverse moods of childhood, from the glee of a boy swung by his ankles from his father's neck to the rapt attention of preschoolers at story time and the pensiveness of a girl seated alone, her arms wrapped around her knees. Magazine photographer Rattazzi, herself the mother of two--her son Maxi appears in many pictures--evinces respect for the integrity of her young subjects, never condescending to their activities or emotions in her quiet yet often joyous photos. The text by her sister, a child therapist, strikes a somewhat precious note in its attempt to reproduce juvenile speech; the poems in particular seem trite in comparison to the thoughtful images they accompany. The youngsters come across as strong individuals, even when depicted in typical poses that will prompt amused recognition from those intimate with small children. Rattazzi's warm and moving photographs explore and illuminate the child's inner world without presuming to explain it. ( Apr. )