WHY THE SUN AND MOON LIVE IN THE SKY

A spirited creation story from Daly (Mary Malloy and the Baby Who Wouldn't Sleep, 1993, etc.), based on an eastern Nigerian myth. In days gone by, Sun and Moon were earthly creatures—Sun a wandering sensualist, Moon a contented homebody—who lived together in a grand house. Smitten by Sea, Sun can't get enough of ``her spellbinding songs and her liquid dances,'' so he invites her to his home. Moon is miffed; Sea proves to be a homewrecker. Sun and Moon flee from the waters to the roof, and from there to the sky as their houseguest innundates the formerly happy domicile. Once aloft, Moon takes her leave of her irresponsible mate, and lives with her children the stars as far from Sun as she can get. This delightful story is outfitted in humor, a mock seriousness, and drama. The tension in the story—between Sun and Moon, and Moon and Sea—is softened by Daly's delicate watercolor illustrations, as fantastic as the images of William Blake; their sprawling activity keeps time to the text's swift pace. (Caveat: A gentle, informative author's note appears only on the jacket.) A wondrous and alluring work. (Picture book/folklore. 4+)