Dance!

A striking design and inventive art that effectively meshes soft pastels and brilliant hues are the most impressive features of Delessert's (I Hate to Read!) book. The plot, however, is banal. A bevy of raucous monsters (the creatures are part real animals, part imaginary) disturb a peaceful village until Yok-Yok, a wide-eyed, magical character, manages to disperse them by playing his flute. Delessert's narrative is sometimes precious (``Friendly mushrooms sprouted tall, every rose had a fragrance of its own'') and dialogue can be silly. A tiny typeface may also prove an impediment. A minor warning: kids may be put off by one particular illustration, which depicts a monster with bloodied teeth chewing on a herd of cows. Ages 5-up. (Sept.)