DEER AT THE BROOK

The deer come down to the brook, ""a sparkling place--sunlight on water, water on stones,"" to nibble blackberry blossoms, enjoy the water, or nap. Lone deer or groups come; a thrush sings, a fish leaps, insects drift by. Told very simply in few, well-chosen, melodic words, the book is ideal for beginning readers or for bedtime comfort. Arnosky's pastel illustrations glow with well-drawn animals and un-detailed but accurate flora. He has obviously observed deer; while their large and liquid eyes resemble Bambi's, their movements are authentic. He has a delicate sense of light, so that lambent colors tint other nearby surfaces: "". . .a sparkling place,"" indeed. End papers realistically show the flesh tracks of a doe and fawns in the brookside sand.