DANCING

Alex and his father, from Cazet's I'm Not Sleepy (1992), reappear in this bedtime-story song book. When the new baby keeps crying, Alex claps his hands over his ears and goes out on the front porch. His father puts on a record and comes out to talk, but Alex cannot hear the music until he takes his hands away from his ears. His father starts to sing the song, which begins, ``Maybe it's me, maybe it's you, but something is wrong. Is there somebody new?'' and ``Maybe the moon knows just how you feel, sharing the night with the stars . . .'' Alex's frustration softens; he and his father share a dance under the moon. Alex falls asleep and is carried inside. A musical score with the lyrics closes the book, which works both as a lesson about sibling rivalry and as a lullaby. The luminous watercolors depict a small boy, who is momentarily unhappy and insecure, being loved unconditionally by his strong, faithful father. (Picture book. 3-6)