THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE

Schuett’s art really lets Raffi’s 1982 version of the traditional spiritual shine. Lowering the overall lighting level but kicking up the color intensity, she portrays a troupe of young thespians painting backdrops and choosing costumes in preparation for a performance, while a smaller child shyly looks on, sometimes hesitantly lending a hand. As the curtain opens, Schuett first cuts to an audience crowded with rapturous faces, then to the stage, where figures from Lady Liberty to a ghost with a jack-o’-lantern proffer diverse sources of light—and that child has become, literally, the Star of the show. Younger viewers may need a moment to figure out what happened, as only her hands and face are visible, and all of the children look pretty much alike. Still, the otherwise-easy-to-follow plot, and simple, repeating lyrics, makes this a natural for sharing with the preschool set. Lyrics recapped, with musical arrangement, at the end. (Picture book. 4-6)