One Lighthouse, One Moon

From Publishers Weekly Lobel (Alison's Zinnia) covers the days of the week, the months of the year and a nautical count from one to 10 ("One Lighthouse, One Moon") in this eclectic, quirky triptych of a picture book. A cat named Nini acts as the thread that ties them all together; she introduces each segment perched on an armchair, then sneaks into nearly every illustration as either an observer or a participant. In richly tinted watercolor and gouache paintings, Lobel rolls out the colors and the days of the week in a section titled "All Week Long," via the footwear of a girl who appears only from the knees down ("Black shoes on Monday. Red shoes on Tuesday" and so on). Each painting conveys details of the nameless girl's life: on Saturday she dances in pink ballet slippers; she wears white with her Sunday best. The opener for the progression of months in "Nini's Year" shows a 12-panel framed picture, each featuring a symbol associated with its month. The following pages elaborate on each ("In September Nini played in the autumn leaves. In October Nini posed on a pumpkin"); cat lovers will notice the physical change in Nini in December as she waits for "good things"--kittens (the fireplace mantle shows Christmas and Kwanza cards and a menorah). The three-pronged format is refreshingly different, and Lobel segues seamlessly from one theme to the next. Ages 4-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal PreSchool-K-Lobel's beautiful watercolor-and-gouache paintings are the heart of this concept book, which is divided into three "chapters." The first section shows a different pair of shoes in a different color for each day of the week. The middle section introduces the months of the year via the activities and antics of a cat named Nini. The final section is a seaside counting exercise from "ONE lighthouse" to "TEN trees bent in the wind. And ONE HUNDRED stars and ONE moon lit up the sky." Although there is no story line per se, the book combines text and illustration quite successfully and really works. There is humor and repetition throughout, and Nini appears on each double-page spread even when she is not the focus of attention. The artwork provides the essential information and adds richness and texture through the use of bold colors and detailed brushwork. This is a fresh approach to the concepts covered, and has great visual appeal.