Rabbit Moon

In a slight story vaguely reminiscent of Frank Asch's Moongame or Chris Demarest's more recent The Lunatic Adventure of Kitman and Willie , Rowe tells about an old rabbit named Albert, who takes solace in the moon on sleepless nights and becomes distraught when it suddenly disappears. Finding a discarded party decoration in the shape of a crescent moon, Albert tries to replace it in the sky, where he thinks it belongs. While stylish in design, Rowe's art may be a bit austere for its intended audience. His characters, for instance, are more a design element than lifelike figures as they sit on stark, minimalist pages. His palette boldly pairs green with purple and blends red, yellow and gray; however, subtleties in the visual narrative may be lost on children. A simple and gentle story nonetheless, and an unusual book for the aesthetically inclined. Ages 3-up. (Nov.)