MR. MOONLIGHT AND OMAR

erene mood dominates the tale of a quiet Arab boy, Moonlight the donkey, and Omar the camel. Selim does not like seeing his father work so hard; in an effort to help, the lad tries to get first Moonlight, then Omar to pull the plow. The stylized illustrations in olivish browns and greens, bright blue and a jarring link, reveal a darkskinned, stiff, glassy-eyed boy surrounded by other coldly designed, staring-eyed creatures--with the exception of Omar, who is lazy-eyed, long-lashed, and likable. Author and artist combined efforts before in The Lazy Little Zulu (1962, p. 471, J-131).