STARRY NIGHT

The boy introduced in Nate's Treasure (1991) camps out with his dad and brother at the edge of a wood near their home. They carry their own simple gear, build a campfire, and share cookies, tunes on Dad's harmonica, and a story Nate tells (``Too scary for me!'' remarks Dad, giving little Matt the chance to agree without losing face). Best, they marvel at the stars (``Like forever fireflies,'' says Matt), spotting constellations and imagining the vast distances before settling ``into a dreamy sleep while...the whole starry night looked on.'' It's the kind of shared experience a child may remember forever; Spohn captures its perfection in the exquisite simplicity and telling details of his unpretentious narrative and his unique illustrative style: a quiet patterning of tiny dots warmed with gently luminous color. Lovely. (Picture book. 4-8)