OVER THE MOON

A happy, colorful book about a man and woman dreaming of their soon-to-be-born adopted baby, receiving the news of her birth, and flying to the ``faraway place'' where they meet their child. Based on Katz's experience adopting a Central American infant and bright with mixed-media illustrations suggestive of folk art, this is a book for adults to use with children who were adopted in similar circumstances. The message is reassuring: ``Forever and always we will be your mommy and daddy. Forever and always you will be our child.'' The birth mother is gently described as another lady in whose tummy ``you grew like a flower,'' but who ``wasn't able to take care of you, so Mommy and Daddy came to adopt you and bring you home.'' The baby has dark hair like the mother's and dark eyes like both parents' but with duskier skin than either. As in Jamie Lee Curtis and Laura Cornell's Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born (1996), both text and pictures are suffused with anticipation and joyful welcome at the baby's arrival. (Picture book. 3-7)